GESTIONS FOR 
iHERS /?/ ENGLISH 



'^ 



INTARY GRADES 





•I 



Suggestions for Teachers 

of 

Elementary Grades 




Arranged by 

W. P. KING 

SUPERINTENDENT OF CITY SCHOOLS 
NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 



{ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

i • r>!roEivED 

MAR141921 

aOCUMENTb UiViSION 



vv\ 









PREFACE 




!HIS pamphlet is not intended in any- 
way to take the place of a text book. 
It is designed primarily to aid the 
teacher in providing material for use 



in daily oral and written language work. 

There is no attempt to make it a syllabus, 
nor does it indicate the entire scope of work to 
be covered. 

In the grades above the fifth, the scope of 
the work merely is indicated. 



NOTES TO TEACHERS 



Regular pupils are those who in the "B" divisions begin the first 
month's work of that grade in September, and who, becoming "A" 
division pupils, begin the sixth month's work of that grade in February. 

In classes or schools where the semi-annual promotion plan does 
not obtain, it is obvious that the work proceeds regularly month by 
month. 

Pupils of the "A" section", that is, those doing the work of the 
latter half of any year's work, who enter the "A" section in September, 
should be given the work beginning with the sixth month's outline. 
When the course contains seasonal work such as poems, pictures, etc., 
which belong to another month or another season, substitution should 
be made from the proper month's outline of the first half of the year's 
work. 

Pupils of the "B" division, or those who are doing the first half 
of any year's work, who enter the "B" division in February, or the 
middle of the year, should be given the work beginning with the first 
month's outline. When poems, pictures and other seasonal features 
are not appropriate, substitution should be made from the proper 
month's outline of the second half of the year's work. 



SECOND GRADE ENGLISH 

FIRST MONTH 

The function of language is to act as a medium of communication 
of ideas between members of the same society. On the individual side, 
it is to serve as a means of getting information from records in which 
the knowledge is embodied. This one thing, then, essential to the indi- 
vidual, in order to accomplish either of , these two things, is the posses- 
sion of and the ability to use the language which is the vehicle of the 
ideas to be obtained or communicated. 

Therefore, the objects of language work in this grade are to in- 
crease the vocabulary of the child, to give ready and exact use of words, 
and to develop the power to speak and write good English. It is the 
use of language, and not its philosophy, that is essential. IT IS OF 
GREAT IMPORTANCE THAT THE PUPILS SEE AND HEAR GOOI> 
ENGLISH. The study of language should enter largely into every 
part of the work, and should receive the most careful treatment by 
the teacher. Oral English should receive special attention. The aims 
should include not only grammatica,l correctness, but sequence, accur- 
acy, and holding to the point. 

Training in language should begin with what the pupils know, and- 
can express. Gain the confidence of the pupils first, then lead them to 
talk freely about familiar objects and their experiences with them. 
Develop their powers of observation and expression by conversations 
about interesting objects seen at home, out of school as animals, plants, 
flowers, fruits, toys, etc. Observe the language of the pupils at all 
times. Do not mention their errors but lead them to use correct form 
repeatedly, until they use it unconsciously. Short interesting stories 
should be fold by the teacher and repeated by the pupils. Illustrate 
these stories whenever possible. Original stories should be invited. 
Good pictures will readily suggest incidents. The children should re-tell 
or act out only such parts of stories as are short and simple in struc- 
ture. 

Throughout the year emphasis should be laid on all above points, 
and especially dramatization. This in one of the very best methods 
in oral and written speech. 

Since children talk more than they write, greater emphasis should 
be put upon oral composition. The language of the child is that of 
habit. He cannot understand the application of a law, consequently 
the end to be attained in all lower grade work is correct expression and 
not grammatical construction. The language should make the pupil 
see, hear and think before he attempts to express. 

By the use of questions and games secure the correct use of 
come-came; see-saw; run-ran; ring-rung; sit-sat; write-wrote; draw- 
drew. 

The outline following is one of the many ways in which correct use 
of the verb may be taught. Use any device that will secure practice. 

5 



Outlines in English 



1 — (a). Addressing one of the pupils ask, "Can you come to me, 
John" When he replies that he can, say, "You may show me that you 
can come to me". When he gets to you ask, "What can you do?" 
You thank him and let him return to his seat. Repeat this with many 
children. 

(b). At the second lesson, when the child has reached your side, 
instead of asking, "What can you do?" ask, "What did you do?" If he 
does not answer correctly, let him be the teacher and you the pupil 
and show him how to reply to your question. This will need much 
drill through the year. 

2 — (a). Hold up some familiar object and ask, "Can you see the 
book?" The pupil called upon to answer replies, "I can see the book." 

(b). Put it behind you and ask, "What did you see?" The reply 
should be, "I saw the book". (Whenever correct answers cannot be 
obtained from the pupils by questioning, exchange places with some 
pupil and act his part, and let him act your part. It will be better 
learned and remembered by so doing than by merely telling the cor- 
rect form.) 

(c). Use many objects in the way described above. 

WRITTEN LANGUAGE 

1 — Name of pupil, school, city, state. 

2 — Capital at the beginning of each sentence. 

3 — Name of month, and days of week. 

4 — Short sentences for use of verbs in verb list above. 

Drill every day on some of the common forms of politeness: — 
please; I thank you; pardon me; may I take this book? Kindly give 
me the pencil. Teach some of the courtesies of every day life, such 
as removing the hat when speaking, or thanking one for an act of 
courtesy. 

In this month we may begin the study of Hiawatha. Have the 
children describe Hiawatha's home. Have children write a letter to 
Hiawatha, describing their own homes (These of course will be short 
sentences and not begun until the last of the month.) Description of 
Hiawatha's cradle. 

THE SWING 

How do you like to go up in a swing, 

Up in the air so blue? 
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing 

Ever a child can do. 

Up in the air and over the wall, 

Till I can see so wide, 
Rivers and trees and cattle, and all 

Over the country side. 

Till I look down on the garden green, 

Down on the roof so brown. 
Up in the air I go flying again, 

Up in the air and down. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 



Second Grade 



SECOND MONTH 

1 — Continue the work of dramatization. 

2 — Connect the language lessons with the reading, classic stories, 
nature talks, pictures, etc. 

3 — Teach the habitual use of expressions customary in polite 
usage; as. Please; I thank you; Pardon me; May I take this book?; etc. 

4 — Have the pupils tell what they see on their way to school by 
asking them, "What did you see on your way to school this morning?" 
They give such replies as, "I saw a sparrow as I came to school this 
morning." "I saw a street car," etc. Use this drill frequently. It 
teaches the pupils to observe as well as to speak correctly. Use 
similar drills for other common verb forms. 

5 — By the use of games and drills teach the use of dream, 
dreamed; catch, caught; fly, flew; find, found; give, gave; hide, hid; 
hold, held; shake, shook; throw, threw. 

6 — Have pupils write short sentences containing the words, hard 
and harder; soft, softer; strong, stronger; heavy, heavier; good, better; 
sweet, sweeter; bright, brighter. 

7 — ^For a talking lesson: 

Have you ever seen a rainbow? When? Where? What was its 
color? Its shape? When do you look for a rainbow? Why? These 
are the colors of the rainbow: violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, red. 
(Have them learn to repeat the names in order.) 

8 — Have the pupils copy the following questions and write an- 
swers after each question: 

1 — Have you ever seen a rabbit? 
2 — Where did you see it? 
3 — What was it doing? 
.4 — Where do rabbits live? 
5 — What do they eat? 
6 — Tell what the rabbit can do? 

9 — Tell the children a story about Columbus. In another lesson 
discuss Columbus under the following heads: 

(a) — Who was Columbus? 

(b) — Where did he live? 

(c) — What did he believe? 

(d) — What did he want to do? 

(e) — Who helped him? 

(f) — Why do we honor him? 

(g)—Why is October 12th a holiday? 

10 — Conversation and written work: 

1 — ^Where are the birds in winter? 

2 — Where are the flowers? 

3-^Where are the leaves? 

4 — What is the field covered with? 

5 — What is the covering of the pond? 

6 — How do animals keep warm in winter? 

7 — How do you keep warm? 



8 Outlines in English 



11 — Technical Work: 

Capitals: "I" and names of persons. 
Punctuation: Period at end of statement. 

Interrogation point. 
Abbreviation: Mr., Mrs., Miss, Oct., St. 

12- — Continue the study of "Hiawatha." 

(a) — Write a letter to Hiawatha from the fire-fly. 

(b) — To Hiawatha from the children, telling about 
the rainbow. (These letters may consist of only 
one, two, or three sentences, but call them 
"letters".) 

13 — Read the story of "The Lion and the Mouse." (This may be 
found in the Art Literature Reader on page 69, Book 2.) 
Have pupils reproduce the story. 

GOD IS GREAT AND GOOD 

I know God made the sun He made the streams so wide, 

To fill the day with light; That flow thru wood and dale; 

He made the twinkling stars He made the brooks so small, 

To shine all through the night. That leap down hill and dale. 

He made the hills that rise ■ He made each bird that sings 

So very high and steep. So sweetly all the day; 

He made the lakes and seas, He made each flower that springs 

That are so broad and deep. So bright, so fresh, so gay. 

And He who made all these, 

He made both you and me; 
Oh, let us thank Him then. 

For great and good is He. 

STORIES 

"The Elves and the Shoemaker" {Riverside Reader, Book 3, 
page 13) . 

"The Cat, the Monkey, and the Chestnuts" {Fables and Folk 
Stories, Scudder, page 109). 

"The Country Mouse and the City Mouse" {Tree and Treadtvell, 
Book 1, page 57). 

PICTURES 

"Dignity and Impudence" {Landseer) . "A Primary School in 
Brittany" {Geoff ry) . 



THIRD MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Discuss the coloring of the leaves, the migration of the birds, 
and tell how and why certain animals put away food. 

2 — Talk about the frost. 

3 — Tell how certain fruit and vegetables are ripened by the frost. 



Second Grade 



4 — Tell a Thanksgiving story. Let the little ones get the proper 
spirit of Thanksgiving, If possible let them know why we observe this 
holiday. 

5 — Under the head of nature study, take up — 

(a) — The storing up of foods on part of insects, plants, 

animals, man. 
( b) — Disappearance of insects, 
(c) — Migration of birds, 
(d) — Tree: Falling of leaves, forming of buds, 

branches bare, 
(e) — Death of flowers., 
(f) — Cocoons spun by insects. 
(g) — Heavy coats of hair, feathers and wool, 
(h) — Period of rest. 

WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Have the children write short sentences in answer to the 
following questions: 

1 — Is the weather warm or cold? 

2 — Is it cloudy or clear? 

3 — Is it sunny or hazy? 

4 — Is it windy or quiet? 

5 — What flowers are to be found now? 

6 — How do the trees look? 

7 — What is the name of t?iis month? 

8 — What is the name of this day? 

9 — What is the name of this season? 

2— Drill on "It is I," "It is he," "It is she." 

3 — Abbreviations: Mr., Mrs., Miss. 

4 — Write two or three short sentences on the board. Show that 
each one begins with a capital letter. Then let them see that every 
sentence begins- with a capital letter. By the same plan it may be 
shown that every sentence that tells something ends with a period. 

NOVEMBER 

"Trees are bare and brown. 

Dry leaves everywhere, 
Dancing up and down, 

Whirling through the air. 
Red-cheeked apples roasted. 

Popcorn almost done. 
Toes and chestnuts toasted, 

That's November's fun." 

STORIES 

"The First Thanksgiving" {Home Reader, Book 2, page 36). 

"The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg" {EUon Primary, Book 3, 
page 79 — Graded Literature, Book 2, page 49). 

"The Wolf and the Lamb" {Williams' Choice Literature, Book 3, 
page 59 ) . 

Picture Study: "My Dog" {Landseer) . "Baby Stewart" {Van 
Dyke). "Feeding His Birds" (MiZZei)- 



10 Outlines in English 



FOURTH MONTH 

Much of the work this month will naturally be along the line of 
Christmas holiday exercises. 

In addition the following may suggest material for use: 

Give the pupils practice in writing statements. The following 
questions may be found suggestive: (The answers should be given 
orally first and later they may be written.) 

What is your name? 

What is the name of your father? 

What is the name of your mother? 

What is the name of your teacher? 

On what street do you live? 

On what street is your school? 

What can horses do? 

Of what use are cows? 

What is the use of a watch? 

What does the postman do with the letters we give 

him? 
Who made your coat? 
Who made this house? 
Of what is this house made? 
What is the color of this house? 
Of what is candy made? 
Who makes doors? 
Of what is bread made? 
Of what is butter made? 

Copy the following sentences and fill the blanks with words that 
answer the question, WHAT COLOR: 

1 — Grass is 5 — Coal is 

2 — Gold is 6 — Bananas are 

3 — Salt is 7 — Wild berries are 

4 — The sky is 8 — Cherries are 

9 — In autumn the maple leaves are and 

10 — A watermelon is on the inside and 

on the outside. 

11 — A woodpecker has a top. 

12 — Daises are and 

13 — Some grapes are and some are 

The following story will suggest work : 

HENRY'S DREAM OF CHRISTMAS EVE 

(I) — Christmas was coming. Henry could hardly wait for it. 
He bought some presents for his friends, and kept them wondering 
what he would get. Very late on Christmas Eve he hung up a large 
stocking beside the fire-place, went to bed and soon fell asleep. 

Tell his dream, filling the following blanks: He dreamed that 

came down the into his room. On his hair was a 

funny His beard was long and His coat was trimmed 

with He had a big filled with 



Second Grade ii 



Tell the rest of Henry^s dream and let us know all that Henry 
found in his stocking". Tell what Henry did in the morning. 

(II) — Write a note to Santa Clause telling what you want for 
Christmas; or tell the class what you did last Christmas. 

(Ill) — Tell the class about a present you once received. What 
was it? What did you do with it? Or tell about making something 
for a Christmas gift. 

WHILE STARS OF CHRISTMAS SHINE 

While stars of Christmas shine, 

Lighting the sky, 
Let only loving looks 

Beam from your eyes. 

While bells of Christmas ring, 

Joyous and clear, 
Speak only happy words. 

All love and cheer. 

Give only loving gifts. 

And in love take; 
Gladden the poor and sad. 

For love's dear sake. 

— Emilie Poulson. 

STORIES 
"The Half Chick" {Carroll and Brooks, Book 3, page 89). 
"Golden Rod and Aster" {Art Literature, Book 2, page 43). 

PICTURES 
"Shoeing the Bay Mare" {Landseer) . "The Angelus" {Millet), 



FIFTH MONTH 

"Pray remember, pupils are not to be taught by rules which will 
always be a-slipping out of their memories. What you think necessary 
for them to do, settle in them by an indispensable practice as often as 
the occasion returns, and, if it be possible, make occasions. This will 
beget habits in them which, being once established, operate of them- 
selves easily and naturally, without the assistance of memory." 

— John Locke. 

Review previous work. Take note of the habitual errors of the 
pupils and correct these by games, by questions and by example. 

THERE SHOULD BE DAILY ORAL EXERCISES FOR THE 
CORRECTION OF THE COMMON ERRORS OF THE CLASS. 
THESE EXERCISES SHOULD PROVIDE FOR THE FREQUENT 
REPETITION OF CORRECT FORMS. THESE EXERCISES RE- 
QUIRE ON THE PART OF THE TEACHER, A DEFINITE AIM AND 
A CAREFULLY MADE PLAN. 



12 Outlines in English 



Give attention to the conversation about familiar objects, actions, 
narration of personal experiences, the study of pictures, and to the re- 
production and dramatization of stories and fables. The dramatic in- 
stinct in children is strong, and should receive careful recognition. 

Drill upon the use of "It is I." (Games 1 and 2 will be found 
helpful). Similarly drill upon such expressions as: "It is (or w^as) 
he"; "It is (or was) she." Teach the correct forms but do not teach 
the reasons for them. The aim is to have the pupils acquire the HABIT 
of correct expression. 

Ask questions that children usually answer with "ain't" so as to 
correct this mistake. (Game No. 4 will be found helpful.) 

Give attention throughout the year to dramatization. This is one 
of the best ways to secure effectiveness in oral and in written speech. 
Dramatize interesting short stories and incidents from the story of 
Hiawatha that lend themselves to the dramatic form. 

For a snowy day: 

Dear little blossoms down under the snow. 
You must be weary of winter, I know. 
Hark while I sing you a message of cheer! 
Summer is coming and springtime is here ! 

Questions for conversation "lessons: 

1 — Why do some animals have heavy coats of hair in 
winter? 

2 — What are the names of some of these animals? 

3 — How are birds protected in winter? 

4 — How are sheep protected from cold? 

Have pupils write answers to these questions: 

1 — What is the desk made of? 

2 — With what are you writing? 

3 — What game do you like to play? 

4 — What will you do after school? 

5-^What will you do next Saturday? 

(Use other questions of your own construction similar to these). 
Also, give sentences, questions, etc., using blanks to be filled in with see, 
saw, or seen. Drill on "You and I," and similar expressions. 

SUGGESTED GAMES 

1— VISITING GAME.— 

All heads down on the desk. All eyes closed. Teacher touches a 
child who runs to the cloak-room and raps at the door. As soon as he 
raps, the teacher calls some pupil who is to answer the door by calling, 
"Who is it?" (The children in the rear seats listen attentively.) The 
child in the cloak-room says, "It is I." The child who first called is to 
recognize the voice of the visitor and say, "Come in, John." If he 
makes a mistake have another pupil try. 



Second Grade 13 



2_WH0 IS IT?— 



Have a row of children on the floor. Blindfold a child, give him 
a pointer and place him in front of the row. At a given signal the 
children exchange places. The child who is blindfolded is to point to 
someone, who is to take hold of the pointer. The child who is blind- 
folded is to ask, "Who is it?" The child holding the pointer replies, 
"It is I." If he guesses the child's name, he is to exchange places with 
him. 

3 — Place some article, as a book, or a ball, or a bell, on your 
table, and tell the pupils you are going out of the room, and that while 
you are out you want someone in the front row — or any other row you 
care to choose — to run and touch the article you name, and that when 
you come in you will find the one who touched it. Before leaving the 
room, call some pupil up to act as teacher and to tell you when to 
return. When you return touch the pupils in the front row asking, 
"Was it he," "Was it she," as the case may be. Keep asking the same 
question until you find the right one. Do this several times yourself 
before having the pupils do it. 

4 — Let some pupil come forward and stand before the school. 
Tell him to think of some familiar object. When he does he announces. 
"I am thinking of something that is round." The pupils as you point 
to them guess, perhaps, as follows: "Is it an apple?" The pupil in 
front replies, "It is not an apple." "Is it an orange?" "It is not an 
orange." "Is it a ball?" "It is not a ball." "Is it a balloon?" "It 
is not a balloon." "Is it a pill?" "It is not a pill." "Is it a marble?" 
"It is not a marble." 

Find in the list that follows three words that might be used for 
each of the following blanks: 

1 — -The snow flakes down out of the sky. 

2 — They covered the ground wdth a blanket. 

3 — When the sun shone, it made the snow. .... .like 

diamonds. 

A — The air made the children's fins-ers 



5 — But they wouldn^t let Jack Frost their 

play. 

6 — They snowballs at one another. 

7 — They down the hills with their sleds. 

8 — They made a snow man. 

9 — Then they home and warmed themselves by 

the fire. 

10 — As they sat there they ate apples, 

nuts, and listened to grandma tell stories 

c 

cloudy frosty flung icy 

sifted charming coasted floated 

cold tingle fat gray 

white stop ran dark 

glitter merry roaring fluffy 



14 



Outlines in English 



delicious 


interesting 


frozen 


dashed . 


sparkle 


slid 


soft 


warm 


icy 


plump 


flash 


roly-poly 


ache 


skipped 


biting 


rode 


check 


cherry 


end 


cracked 


jolly 


drifted 


happy 


rosy-cheeked 


threw 


murky 


tossed 





Make a study of Eugene Field. Tell stories of his life, of his 
fondness for pets, of his love for little children. 

MEMORY WORK 

LITTLE BOY BLUE 

The little toy dog is covered with dust, 

But sturdy and staunch he stands; 
And the little toy soldier is red with rust, 

And his musket moulds in his hands. 
Time was when the little toy dog was new, 

And the soldier was passing fair; 
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue 

Kissed them and put them there. 

"Now don't you go 'til I come," he said, 
"And don't you make any noise," 
So toddling off to his trundle-bed, 

He dreamt of his pretty toys : 
And, as he was dreaming, an angel song 

Awakened our Little Boy. Blue — 
Oh! the years are many, the years are long, . 
But the little toy friends are true. 

Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand, 

Each in the same old place — 
Awaiting the touch of a little hand. 

The smile of a little face; 
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through 

In the dust of that little chair. 
What has become of the Little Boy Blue, 

Since he kissed them and put them there. 

■■ — Eugene Field. 

STORIES 

"The Big Brother" {Art Literature, 
Miser" (Wooster, Book 3, page 94). 

PICTURES 



Book 3, page 135). "The 



"Brittany Sheep" (Bonheur). "Angels' Heads" (Reynolds). 



SIXTH MONTH 

Tell or read stories of interest to the pupils. Stories of Lincoln 
and Washington. These stories may be reproduced orally by the pupils. 
Care, however, must be taken not to use the same story to such an ex- 
tent that the children lose interest. It will add greatly to the interest 



Second Grade 15 



if the pupils can come to school prepared to tell to their teacher and 
classmates stories that they have heard outside of school. (Some, no 
doubt, have few if any, opportunities to become familiar with stories 
other than those they hear at school.) Every one, adult as well as 
child, feels a greater impulse to speak when he realizes that what he 
tells is new to his auditors. 

Give attention, to conversation about familiar objects and actions, 
to narration of personal experiences, to study of pictures, to repro- 
duction and dramatization of stories and selections in' the basal reader 
that lend themselves to the dramatic form. 

Continue dictation exercises. Teach the correct use of break, 
broke; bring, brought; climb, climbed; sing, sang; speak, spoke; take, 
took; tear, tore; wind, wound. 

• Teach the command. The subject should be presented in the way 
that the teacher can use most effectively. The following is given by 
way of suggestion: "You have learned about a sentence that tells 
something, and a sentence that asks something; we shall now talk about 
another kind of sentence." 

Give a few commands to the pupils and then say: "Did those 
sentences tell something?" "Did they ask something?" "No, they told 
you to do something." 

Have the pupils give commands. A sentence that tells you to do 
something is a command. 

A written command should begin with a capital. 

A written command should end with a period. (DO NOT RE- 
QUIRE ANY DEFINITIONS.) 

Have the pupils give commands using the name of the person ad- 
dressed as the first word in the sentence; as the last word in the sen- 
tence. (Be careful about punctuation). 

Teach directions by using the following game: Tell some pupil to 
run to the east. Then ask, "In what direction did you run?" or "Where 
did you run?" The pupil answers, "I ran to the east." Ask some 
pupil what John did. Do the same with west, south and north. Then 
tell them to run to you, thus, "East, run to me." "West, run to me." 
etc. Then ask, "From where did you run?" "I ran from the east." 
"I ran from the west," etc. 

Place words from the following list in groups, so that each group 
will make sense. Place two words in each group. Begin each group 
with a capital, and follow it with a period. Bloom, crickets, flow, birds, 
croak, bees, falls, flowers, returns, cattle, departs, grass, graze, frogs, 
melts, streams, buzz, ice, sing, rain, grows, spring, chirp, winter. 

Teach the pupils to write their names and addresses. Let this 
work be done neatly.' Have each pupil cut and fold a piece of paper 
so as to make an envelope. Have the pupils make envelopes of the 
same size. This can be made a valuable exercise in practical measure- 
ment. Valentines and Valentine envelopes. 



16 Outlines in English 



THE NAUGHTY LITTLE ROBIN 

Once there was a robin, 

Lived outside the door, 
Who wanted to go inside 

And hop upon the floor. 

VOh, no," said the mother, 
"You must stay with me; 
Little birds are safest 
Sitting in a tree." 

"I don't care, said the robin, 

And gave his tail a fling, 
• "I don't think that old folks 

Know quite everything." 

Down he flew, and kitty seized him, 
Before he'd time to wink, 
"Oh," he cried, "I am sorry. 
But I didn't think." 

— Phoebe Gary. 



SEVENTH MONTH 



Quotation : 



"Let any one who wants to see himself grow resolve to adopt two 
new words each week. It will not be long before the endless and en- 
chanting variety of the world will begin to reflect itself in his speech 
and his mind as well. For each word presents its own point of view, 
discloses a special aspect of things, reports some little importance not 
otherwise conveyed, and so contributes its small emancipation to our 
tied-up minds and tongues." 

ORAL EXERCISES 

1 — Conversations in which children take part, about toys; familiar 
animals; common plants and their parts (root, stem, leaves, flowers, 
fruit, seeds) ; articles in common use ; familiar colors. 

As far as possible the objects should be seen and handled in these 
exercises. 

2 — OBSERVATION OF NATURE. Conversations about the sky, 
wind, sun, clouds, water, rain, ice, moon, stars, the ground, rocks. 

NOTE: — In these conversation lessons the teacher should take 
great care to prevent the misuse of words, forms, etc., and also to cor- 
rect the child in the matter of pronunciation, and all other errors in 
oral discourse. 



Second Grade 17 



3— LITERATURE: 



(a) — Reproductions of stories told or read by teacher, 
or read silently by the pupils. Such stories 
as fables, fairy tales and legends, stories of 
child life and of animals, stories of great and 
good men and women. 

Suggested stories: "Robinson Crusoe," "Ikwa," 
the Eskimo boy, A story of Benjamin Frank- 
lin, found in Stories of Great Americans For 
Little Americans, "The Mouse and the Lion," 
and "Jack and the Beanstalk." 

(b) — Under the head of Nature study take up — 

(a) — Germination of seeds (child may watch 
seed which he has planted). 

(b) — Unfolding of buds. 

(c) — Appearance of blossoms. 

(d) — Return of the birds. 

(e) — Life of the moth or butterfly. 

(f) — Shedding of hair, feathers, etc. 

(g) — Planting season. 



MARCH. 

In March come the March winds; 

They blow and they blow, 
They sweep up the brown leaves, 

That green ones may grow. 



EASTER SONG 

Snowdrops! lift your timid heads, 

All the earth is waking; 
Field and forest, brown and dead, 

Into life are waking. 

.Lilies! lilies! Easter calls! 

Rise to meet the dawning 
Of the blessed light that falls 

Through the Easter morning. 

Waken, sleeping butterflies, 

Burst your narrow prison! 
Spread your golden wings and rise. 

For the Lord is risen. 

— Mary A. Lathhury. 



18 Outlines in English 



THE VIOLET 

Down in a green and shady bed 

A modest violet grew; 
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head, 

As if to hide from view. 

And yet it was a lovely flower, 

Its color bright and fair; 
It might have graced a rosy bower. 

Instead of hiding there. 

Yet there it was content to bloom 

In modest tints arrayed. 
And there it spreads its sweet perfume 

Within the silent shade. 

Then let me to this valley go. 

This pretty flower to see 
That I may also learn to grow 

In sweet humility. 

4— ON MORALS AND MANNERS: 

Dwell on respect for the aged; the care of public property. Every 
day or two have something to say about the Golden Rule. Have the 
child see the application of it in every day life. Talk of politeness and 
courteous manners, to the boys on removing their hats, and the girls on 
loud talking and .laughter. Give frequent occasion for the use of "I 
thank you," "If you please," "I" beg your pardon." 

5— WRITTEN WORK: 

Written work should accompany and be based upon oral exercises 
within the power of the pupils. 

(a) — Statements — Give subjects, or give statements, omitting sub- 
ject, and have class supply the latter. 

(b) — Questions — About some person or object which has been 
discussed or observed. 

(c) — Practice copying short sentences from the reader or black- 
board, with all punctuation marks. Talk about these 
marks, and explain the use of them. 

(d) — Have the pupils reproduce in writing short simple stories. 

(e) — Dictate sentences -containing proper nouns, as drills for 
capitals. The same may be used for drills on the coma, 
period, and interrogation point. These sentences should 
include the name of the school, its location, the name of 
the city, the river upon which it is situated and the state. 

(f) — Both oral and written exercises to prevent the use of ain't, 
ain't got, it is me, it is her, (him, them.) 



Second Grade 19 



(g) — ^For written work use the following: What are these things 
good for? 

1 — a lamp 5 — a broom 

2 — a basket 6 — a mirror 

3 — a chair 7 — an apple 

4 — a coat 8 — a tree 

(h) — Where have you seen these things? — A carriage, a star, a 
fish, a mill, a plow, a bell, an engine, and an ax. 

STORIES 

"The Lark and Her Young Ones" (Aesop, Graded Literature, Book 
2, page 7). "St. George and the Dragon" (Elson Primary, Book 3, 
page 185). "Through the Golden Windows" (Williams' Choice Litera- 
ture, Book 2, page 13). 

PICTURES 

"Two Mothers" (Gardner). "The Train, Here It Comes" (Birney) . 



EIGHTH MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Conversations in which children take part, about the month, 
flowers, birds, butterflies, baseball, swimming and fishing. 

2 — Have pupils relate experiences when on a visit to a park or 
the country. 

3 — Have the pupils ask each other questions about things in the 
country or the city. 

4 — Provide for drills on the verbs: bloom, fly, flown, strike, 
struck, swim, swam, fished, catch, caught, see, saw. 

WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Have pupils write questions on a small piece of paper, then 
have these papers passed to another pupil who will be re- 
quired to write the answer to the question in a complete 
sentence. As suggestions the teacher may write on the 
board names of things about which they may ask questions. 

2 — Copy short sentences with all punctuation marks. 

3 — Write these questions on the board; have the pupils copy and 
write answers to them: What is your favorite flower? 
What birds do you know? Why should we not harm the 
birds? What kinds of butterflies have you seen? Did you 
ever go fishing? What kind of fish did you catch? Can you 
swim? Where did you see a game of baseball? 



20 Outlines in English 

4 — Copy sentences and short paragraphs illustrating uses of voca- 
bulary, capitals and punctuation marks. Call attention to 
margin and indentations. 

5 — Dictation: Sentences illustrating use of capitals, periods, etc. 

6 — Original: (a) — Short sentences to test ability to use capitals 
and punctuation marks. (b) — Co-operative paragraphs. 
(Teacher writes answers of pupils in response to questions). 

STORIES 

"Indian Life" (Any.). "Hans and Gretel" (Grimm). (Tree 
and Treadwell, Book 2, page 155). 

PICTURES 
"Out for a Sail" (Walden). "Mother and Daughter" (Douglas). 

EXERCISES 

1 — Common contractions such as didn't, couldn't, etc. 

2 — To prevent the use of the following expressions: "Misses" for 
Miss, "already," "take and do," etc. 

WHERE GO THE BOATS? 

Dark brown is the river, 

Golden is the sand. 
It flows along forever 

With trees on either hand. 

Green leaves a-floating. 

Castles on the foam. 
Boats of mine a-floating — 

Where will they come home? 

On goes the river. 

And out past the mill, 
Away down the valley, 

Away down the hill. 

Away down the river 

A hundred miles or more. 
Other little children 

Shall bring my boats ashore. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 

STORIES 

"The Twenty-Third Psalm," "Story of Washington," "Story of 
Lincoln." 

PICTURES 

"The Hay Wain" (Constable). "The Drinking Trough" (Dupre) . 



Second Grade 21 



NINTH MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Conversation: What flowers are seen in May? How does May 
differ from March? 

2 — Give frequent drills in syllabication, and on words that are 
often indistinctly pronounced. 

3 — Discuss with the children the germination of seeds, the un- 
folding of buds, the appearance of blossoms. 

4 — Provide for both oral and written drills on the following: buy, 
bought, give, gave, say, said, write, wrote, make, made, 
send, sent, can, cannot, stand, stood, shine, shone, help, 
helped, throw, threw, see, seen, saw, was, were, tear, tore. 

WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Have the pupils write questions about the following: flowers, 
roses, ferns, baseball, bat, summer, June, school, country, 
Newport, the street, the policeman, the postman, the alley, 
recess. Have these questions passed to other pupils who 
will be required to answer, if they can, the questions. If a 
pupil can not answer, have him write, "I do not know," or 
some similar reply, 

2 — Have pupils copy short sentences with special view to punc- 
tuation and capitals, then have pupils make up a similar sen- 
tence and punctuate it. Have them tell whether the sen- 
tence is a statement, question, or command. 

3 — Give frequent drills on plural and singular verbs. 

4 — Teach letter writing in simplest form. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

1 — Have pupils repeat short stories, or parts of stories they have 

heard or read. 
2 — The following stories for exposition are within the grasp of 
the pupils of this age: 
(a) — How to spin a top. 
(b) — How to make a doll dress. 

MAY 

Merry, rollicking, frolicking May 

Into the woods came skipping one day; 

She teased the brook till he laughed outright, 

And gurgled and scolded with all his might; 

She chirped to the birds and bade them sing 

A chorus of welcome to Lady Spring; 

And the bees and butterflies she set 

To waken the flowers that were sleeping yet. 

She shook the trees till the buds came out 

To see what the trouble was all about; 

And nothing in nature escaped that day 

The touch of the life-giving, bright young May. 

— George Macdonald. 



22 * Outlines in English 

STORIES 

"How the Monkey Settled the Quarrel" (Howe, Book 2, page 12). 
"The Bremen Musicians" {-Williams' Choice Literature, Book 2, page 
13). 

PICTURES 
"Girl With Cat'' (Hoecker) . "St. Anthony of Padua" (Murillo). 



Third Grade 23 



THIRD GRADE ENGLISH 



FIRST MONTH 

Many kinds of errors will need to be corrected each day, but one 
kind of a mistake at a time should be attacked with special vigor. 
Children should be shown that they commit an error often, before at- 
tempt is made correct it. 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Have narration of actual experiences, and descriptions of ob- 
jects and scenes. 

2 — Oral Exposition may be taken up in the process of making 
things and doing things. 

3 — Reproduce parts of the reading lessons. 

4 — Have children retell stories you have told them. 

5 — Have some simple work in dramatization. 

6 — Drill in use of new and expressive words and phrases found 
in stories and pictures. 

7 — Capitals: Names of Cities, Places, Countries, Titles. 

WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Remember Wellington's maxim, "Have something to say, and 
say it." Perhaps more than half of the written work should be in the 
form of a letter. 

2 — All composition work must grow out of the interest and ex- 
periences of the child. Since no two groups of children have the same 
interests or experiences each teacher must, in part at least, shape his 
own composition work. 

It is well to talk over the subject matter beforehand and perhaps 
make an outline, — that is, develop it with the class. 

All work in this grade must necessarily be brief. Technical mat- 
ters, such as heading, margin, etc., should be carefully discussed 
throughout the year,rand observance of any rule formulated should be 
demanded. 

Criticism of the thought of the written work should be made with 
great care, since this is more or less a personal matter with the children 
upon which they are very sensitive, and harsh criticism prevents spon- 
taneous self-expression. 



24 Outlines in English 

3 — Have each pupil write four sentences about himself in which 
he uses the pronoun I, 

4 — Tell three things about the window. 
5 — Ask three things about the window. 

DRAMATIZATION 

Dramatization is valuable as an exercise so long as it grows out 
of the child's desire to lose himself completely in the thought and ex- 
pression of the thought. If it degenerates into an entertainment pre- 
pared for their friends under the dominating control of the teacher, it 
developes self-consciousness and so defeats its only legitimate purpose. 

POEMS 

1 — Not much formal paraphrasing of poems is desired. The 
highest value of a fine piece of literature may be destroyed by a forced 
attempt to reproduce the thought. 

- 2 — The following plan of teaching a poem will be found helpful: 

(a) — A short introduction consisting of explanations and 
questions fitted to arouse the interest of the child in the poem. 

(b) — Teacher read poem, stopping for questions or explana- 
tions only when necessary to .carry the interest of the child. 

(c) — Brief conversation to find how much the class has gotten 
from the first reading. 

(d) — Teacher read again, part by part. This time for full 
explanation and discussion. 

(e) — Read again, or have one or two pupils read, so the final 
impressions may be left by the author's own words. 

(f) — Pupils learn all or parts of the poem. 

POEM 

If you tried and have not won. 

Never stop for crying; 
All that's great and good is done 

Just by patient trying. 

Though young birds in flying fall. 
Still their wings grow stronger; 

And the next time they can keep 
Up a little longer. 

Though the sturdy oak has known 

Many a blast that bowed her. 
She has risen again, and grown 

Loftier and prouder. 

If by easy work you beat. 

Who the more will prize you? 
Gaining victory from defeat, — 

That's the test that tries you! 

— Phoebe Cary. 



Third Grade 25 



TECHNICAL WORK 

1 — Capitals, Initials, Names of Persons, I and 0. 

2 — Punctuation, Period, Comma, Interrogation Mark. 

3 — The sentence. Review the different kinds as to use. 

4 — Have the children use following correctly in sentences: bad, 
bade, beat, beet, no, know, need, knead, flew, flue. 

5 — The Contractions: I'm, I'll, I've, We're, you're, he's, she's. 

PICTURE 

"The Gleaners" (Millet). To be used for oral discussion. (Sub- 
stitution may be made.) 

STORIES 

"Beauty and the Beast" (Williams' Choice Literature, Book 2, 
page 40). "The Flax" (Child-Life, Book 3, page 111). 



SECOND MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Reproduction of parts of the reading lessons. 

2 — Continue Dramatization. 

3 — Teach correct use of will, shall, may, can, raise, rise, to, at, 
between, among, learn, teach, in, into. 

4 — Use correctly fourth, forth, slay, sleigh, sew, sow, so, stake, 
steak, steel,, steal, beach, beech, to, two, too, tacks, tax, rap, wrap, 
ail, ale, brake,, break, dye, die. 

WRITTEN WORK 

Have pupils write the following: 

5 — Write four statements using the word TEACH. 

6 — Write five statements using the word LEARN. 

7 — Write three questions using TEACH. 

8 — Write three questions using LEARN. 

9 — Write sentences with blanks to be filled with the words learn 
and teach. 

10 — Teacher: 'Write a short letter on the black-board and point 
out the parts of a letter. Have pupils copy it correctly, noticing mar- 
gin, indention, general form, and learning parts of a letter. 

11 — Study the paragraph a little. To do this, one good way is to 
ask the class to answer a series of questions which are continuous in 



26 Outlines in English 

thought and whose answers form a paragraph. The following list is 
suggested : 

1 — What leaves turn red, brown, yellow in October? 

2 — What leaves do not change colors? 

3 — Which leaves fall early? Which remain longer? 

4 — Of what use are fallen leaves? 

A SUGGESTION 

12 — Be alert to collect the mistakes made in the every day con- 
versation of the pupils, and those forms peculiar to your locality. 
Then take about three minutes each morning before the first recita- 
tion for brisk concert drill upon the proper form. The morning is pre- 
ferred because the whole day takes its character from the keynote 
sounded at the beginning. At the close of the drill it would be well 
to place the corrected expressions in a conspicuous panel on the black- 
board. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

13 — CAPITALS: Names of months. Days of week. Cities. 

ABBREVIATIONS: Names of Months, Days, Ave., St., ft., yd. 

ADDRESS: Pupil's own address with correct punctuation. 

PUNCTUATION: Comma in series. Period, Question Mark. 

By questions, or games secure correct use of throw-threw, 
blow-blew, grow-grew, break-broke. 

The contractions: It's, isn't, and doesn't. 

FOR WRITING 

14 — Simplest possessions: 

1 — Where have you seen a monkey? 

2 — What was he doing? 

3 — What does a monkey eat? 

OCTOBER'S BRIGHT BLUE WEATHER 

O suns and skies and clouds of June, 

And flowers of June together. 
Ye cannot rival for one hour 

October's bright blue weather. 

When loud the* bumble-bee makes haste, 

Belated, thriftless vagrant. 
And golden-rod is dying fast, 

And lanes with grapes are fragrant; 

When gentians roll their fringes tight 

To save them for the morning. 
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs 

Without a sign of warning; 



Third Grade 27 



When on the ground red apples lie 

In piles like jewels shining, 
And redder still on old stone walls 

Are leaves of woodbine twining; 

When all the lovely, wayside things 
Their white-winged seeds are sowing, 

And in the fields, still green and fair, 
Late aftermaths are growing; 

When springs run low, and on the brooks, 

In idle, golden freighting. 
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush 

Of woods, for winter waiting; 

When comrades seek sweet country haunts, 

By twos and threes together, 
And count like misers hour by hour, 

October's bright blue weather. 

suns and skies and flowers of June, 
Count all your boasts together 

Love loveth best of all the year 
October's bright blue weather. 



PICTURES 

"The Angelus" (Millet). "The Horse Fair" (Bonheur). 

STORIES 

"The Nightingale" (Anderson's Fairy Tales). "Peter Pan" (Tree 
and Treadwell, Book 2, page 150). 



THIRD MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

Give some appropriate Thanksgiving talks. Tell some stories. 
Have them re-told. Help the pupils to catch the true spirit of Thanks- 
giving. 

QUOTATIONS 

Show what a quotation is. Use of the marks. First word of every 
quotation should begin with a capital letter. 

Use of the comma after the quotation. Before the direct quota- 
tion. 



28 Outlines in English 



WRITTEN WORK 

•Write statements and have them changed into questions. 
Have pupils write these questions and then write answers to them: 

1 — Where have you seen a robin? 

2 — What was it doing? 

3 — What do robbins like to eat? 

4 — Where do they build their nests? 

5 — How do they build them? 

6 — Who feeds the baby robins? 

7 — Who teaches them to fly? 

Teach correct use of the following: nose, knows, him, hymn, 
seize, sees, stair, stare, plum, plumb, nit, knit, threw, through, lane, 
lain, there, their. 

Have the pupils copy sentences with quotations in them. 

Then have them give original sentences with quotations in them. 
Endeavor to have them understand just what a quotation is. Write 
these sentences, and fill the blanks with words you think belong in them : 

1 — Sugar is sweet, but vinegar is 

2 — Iron is heavy, but cotton is 

3 — A horse is large, but a mouse is . . 

4-^A plank is thick, but a card is 

5 — A stone is hard, but .is. . 

6 — A telegraph-pole is tall, but the gate-post is 

7 — This fruit is good, but that is 

8 — Mary is merry, but Kate is ... 

Picture study: "Feeding Her Birds" (Millet). "The Stag at 
Bay" (Landseer). 

THANKSGIVING DAY. 

Over the river and through the wood 
To grand-father's house we'll go : 

The horse knows the way 

To carry the sleigh 
Through the white and drifted snow. 

Over the river and through the wood, 
Oh, how the wind does blow! 
It stings the toes 
And bites the nose 
As over the ground we go. 



< 



Third Grade 29 



Over the river and through the wood, 
To have a first rate play, 
Hear the bells ring 
**Ting-aling-ling". 
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day! 

Over the river and through the wood, 
Go fast, my dear old gray; 

Spring over the ground 

Like a hunting hound, 
For this is Thanksgiving Day! 

Over the river and through, the wood 

And straight through the barn-yard gate; 

We seem to go 

So very slow, 
It is so hard to wait. 

Over the river and through the wood, 
Now grand-mother's cap I spy! 

Hurrah for the fun! 

Is the pudding done? 
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie! 



WRITTEN WORK 

Heading and Salutation of a letter. 

Simple Paragraphing, Body and Ending of a letter. 

Teach envelope address. 

Teach the correct use of creak, creek, sale, sail, flee, flea, red, 
read, weak, week,- sore, soar, haul, hall, ring, wring, hare, hair, mite, 
might. 

TECHNICAL 

1 — Use of the Apostrophe in possessive and contraction. 

2 — Undivided quotations. 

3 — Abbreviations: Ky., Ave., Months, Days. 

4 — Plurals in s and es. Also, of man, woman, lady, mouse, child, 
knife, sheep. 

STORIES 

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (Grimm's). "King Midas" 
(William,s' Choice Literature, Book 3, page 155). 



30 Outlines in English 



FOURTH MONTH 

The language work for this month should be full of interest to 
the pupils. The Christmas spirit will find its way into the work and 
afford many opportunities for good drills. 

The following suggestions may be found of use: 

Appropriate Christmas talks. Christmas in other lands — Germany. 
England, Norway. Read to the pupils Clement Moor's "A Visit from 
St. Nicholas" or Celia Thaxter's "Piccola", or both. 

Teach the statement. The following questions and answers are 
given to show how the idea of the sentence may be developed : 

1 — What must we do before talking or writing? 

We must think of something to talk or write about. 
2 — How do we tell our thoughts? 

By the use of words. 

3 — Do we always use the same means to express our thoughts? 

No; we sometimes speak our thoughts; sometimes we write 
them; sometimes we draw pictures. 

A sentence is a group of words expressing a thought. 

A sentence that tells something is called a statement. 

A written statement must begin with a capital letter. 

A written statement must end with a period. 

(Do not require any definitions.) 

POSSESSIVES 

Game to teach possessives: Show objects and question the pupils. 
Write answers on the board. "Whose book is this?" "It is your book." 
"How else could you tell me?" "It is the teacher's book." "Who can 
tell me in still another way?" Who am I?" "It is Miss A's book." 
"Who owns this pencil?" "John owns this pencil." "Since this pencil 
belongs to John, John is the owner of this pencil." "What two things 
have I added to John to show that he owns the pencil?" "You have 
-added an apostrophe and s ('s). (Join the s to the word). "What 
did I join to teacher to show that she owns the book?" "To Miss A?" 
Use many objects in the same manner. 

Write the following sentences in a shorter way to show owner- 
ship: The brother of James was hurt. The wings of the bird are 
black. What is the name of that girl? What is the name of that boy? 
Use many similar sentences.. Take only the singular possessive. 

GAMES TO BE PLAYED 

This game is like a spelling match. The teacher gives out the 
following group of words, one by one: 

a bubble a lesson a horn 

a potato a bean bag a tulip 



Third Grade 31 



a whistle a seedling a kite 

a picture a riddle a flag 

a ball a wagon an answer 

The pupil whose turn it is should reply instantly, choosing the most 
fitting answer from the following sentences: 

(It is a miss to hesitate or say the wrong sentence). 

I grew it. I threw it. I flew it. 

I drew it. I blew it. I know it. 

Require pupils to use following words correctly: aught, ought, 
arc, ark, air, heir, wait, weight. 



QUOTATIONS 

The exact words of a person, w^hen repeated by another, are called 
a Direct Quotation. 

A Direct Quotation should be enclosed in quotation marks (*' "). 
The first word of every direct quotation should begin with a 
capital letter. 

A direct quotation must generally be set off from the rest of the 
sentences by a comma or a question mark; e. g. "I am a peddler", 
said Henry. **What do you sell?" asked Mrs. Ward. 

Review Declarative, Interrogative, and Imperative sentences. The 
following game is suggested to emphasize the Interrogative form: Do 
not use the technical name when referring to the sentences above 
mentioned. 



GAME OF QUESTIONS 

(In this game one pupil thinks about some object in the room. 
The other pupils question him, in order to guess what he is thinking 
about. All the questions must be such as may be answered by "Yes" 
or "No." Here is an example of the game.) 

John. I am thinking about something in the room. 

Mary. Is it on the floor? 

John. No, it is not on the floor. 

Susan. Is it near the blackboard? 

John. Yes, it is near the blackboard. 

Charles. Is it in the chalk tray? 

John. Yes, it is in the chalk tray. 

George. Do we use it to write with? 

John. Yes, we use it to write with. 



32 Outlines in English 

STUDY THE FOLLOWING: 

A CHRISTMAS SONG 

Why do bells for Christmas ring? 
Why do little children sing? 
Once a lovely, shining star^ 
Seen by shepherds from afar, 
Gently moved until its light 
Made a manger cradle bright. 
There a darling Baby lay, 
Pillowed soft upon the hay; 
And its mother sang and smiled, 
"This is Christ, the Holy Child" . 
Therefore, bells for Christmas ring, 
Therefore, little children sing! 

— Eugene Field. 

REPRODUCTION 

Choose short sentences illustrating marks of punctuation and 
capitals. Allov/ one or two minutes for concentrated study; then have 
pupils write from memory. Exact words not necessary. 

LETTER WRITING 

Friendly letter, stress upon heading and close. Response to 
friendly letter. (These, of course, are very brief). 

STORIES 

"The Bear Story" (/as. W, Riley). "Narcissus" {Tree and Tread- 
well, Book 4, page 142). 

PICTURES 
"Shepherd and His Flock" (Bonheur) . 



FIFTH MONTH 

Review previous work. Continue story work. In reproduction, 
insist upon the logical arrangement of the parts of the story. Con- 
tinue the work in copying of sentences and paragraphs. Insist upon 
accuracy. Dictation exercises. Oral composition. 

Lead the pupils to talk freely about familiar objects and their ex- 
periences with them. Develop their powers of observation, imagina- 
tion, and expression by conversation about interesting objects seen at 
home, in school, and out of school. Lead pupils to express their 
thoughts in complete sentences. Discourage the use of superfluous 
connectives. Observe the language of the pupils at all times, make 
notes of habitual errors, and correct these by having the pupils HEAR, 
SEE, and USE correct forms until they have supplanted the incorrect. 
It is by daily study of correct models and practice of the right sort 
that pupils form the habit of correct English. Pupils should display 



Third Grade 33 



increased facility in expression with each year of added practice. The 
written description of objects should be accompanied by drawings or 
pictures when possible. 

Frequently have the pupils copy some short stanza or paragraph 
for the purpose of forming the HABIT of accuracy and neatness. Try- 
to get the pupils to understand the importance of exact copying. 

Under names of statement, question and command continue the 
study of Declarative, Interrogative, and Imperative sentences. Give 
the pupils practice in changing Declarative to Interrogative, and vice- 
versa (oral and written.) 

Copy these sentences and fill the blanks with words that answer 
the question WHOSE?: 

1 — The playthings were on the floor. 

2 — The light is bright. 

3 — The poor coat was ragged. 

4 — Uncle has a farm near the city. 

5 — A. bite is poisonous. 

6 — skates are bright and new. 

7 — The lazy. work is not finished. 

8 — father is sick. 

9 — The song is sweet. 

10 — The fox stole the cheese. 

11 — The little ones are called kids. 

12 — The little ones are called kittens. 

13 — The little ones are called puppies. 

Use these words in sentences: 

Harry's dog's father's 

Edith's horse's squirrel's 

Mr. Smith's rabbit's children's 

Have pupils write at least one friendly letter, and address envelope. 
WRITTEN COMPOSITION (A RIDDLE) 

A good riddle can be made in two statements. Have in mind any 
object in sight. Write two statements about it. Let one statement 
tell what the object is made of, and let the other tell what it is good 
for. Have each pupil read the riddle he has written and let the other 
pupils guess the answer. 

EXAMPLES 

Riddle: It is made of an animal's hide. It is good to wear. 

Answer: Walter's shoes. 

Riddle: It is made of steel. It is good to write with. 

Answer: A pen. 



34 



Outlines in English 



By the use of games and questions secure the correct use of hide, 
hid; hold, held; know, knew; lead, led; lay, laid; leave, left; ride, rode; 
run, ran; ring, rung; strike, struck. 

Teach the following abbreviations: Avenue, Ave.; Professor, 
Prof.; Colonel, Col.; Superintendent, Supt. ; Street, St.; First, 1st; 
Second, 2nd. ; Third, 3rd. ; Fourth, 4th. ; Fifth, 5th. 

Keep on the blackboard such expressions as the following and 
have them used in sentences, oral and written: 



Were you 
Our 

Are they 



Aren't you 
Is there 
Isn't that 



Are there 
Isn't she 



Be sure the pupils understand the meaning and use of by, buy; 
know, no; knew, new; their, there; here, hear; waste, waist; rein, rain, 
reign. 

Have the following words and their antonyms used in sentences, 
oral and written: alike, absent, cold, come, cheap. 

Fill out the following outline of this old fable, with words 
chosen from the list that follows, or other words of your own choosing. 
Be careful to copy the marks properly in your stories. 

THE BOY AND THE WOLF 



One day a shepherd boy thought he would play a good joke on 

some men in the field ; so he , " ! !" The 

men. ...... .their tools and to him. The boy. them. 

The next day he again ........," ! !" Again the 

men to him ; and again the boy them. On the 

third day the wolf really The boy . , " ! 

!" with all his But the men, thinking that he 

was them again, . .no, , and the wolf, 

several of the 

dropped 

sheep 

shouted 

ran 

screamed 

tricking 

paid 

attention 

hastened 

threw down 

destroyed 

Tell the pupils some of the life story of the Cary Sisters. Read 
some of their poems to the pupils. Read so that they will not only 
HEAR but FEEL. 



did come 


called 


cried 


did appear 


laid down 


help 


wolf 


laughed 


made fun 


hurried 


slew 


yelled 


strength 


fooling 


held 


killed 


gave 


flock 


might 


bawled 



Third Grade 35 



THE RIGHT WAY 

The air for the wing of the sparrow, 
The bush for the robin and wren, 
But always the path that is narrow 
And straight for the children of men. 



-Alice Gary. 



VERSE FOR JANUARY 

Wintry day! Frosty day! 

God on all a cloak doth lay; 

On the earth the snow he sheddeth. 

Gives the bird a coat of feather 

To protect, it from the weather. 

STORIES 



-Selected. 



"Raggyling" (Howe Reader, Book 2, page 3). "Clitie" (Classic 
Myths, page 165). 

PICTURE 
"Before the Storm" (Dupre) . 



SIXTH MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

Tell short stories about Valentine Day. 

Have pupils reproduce these stories orally, criticising carefully 
their English. 

In the same manner, tell short stories of Lincoln and Washington, 
and have them reproduce orally. Ask questions on the stories. 

WRITTEN WORK 

Have the children write statements about either Lincoln or Wash- 
ington. 

Have the girls each write a question concerning either of these 
men, and on the same paper have the boys write, if they can, an 
answer to the questions. (These exercises should be carefully cor- 
rected by the teacher and then recopied by the pupils.) 

Have pupils write sentences containing the plural form of heart, 
cherry, hatchet, mother, soldier, army, battle. 

Have pupils write the antonyms of the following: small, beauti- 
ful, old, warm, swift, bright, many, long, high, wide, near, in, hard, 
smooth, tame, quiet, right. 

Write sentences on the board with blanks to be filled in with 

verbs. Example, (a) The boy can .the fish, (b) The boy 

the fish. 



36 Outlines in English 



Have the following irregular verbs used in sentences: done, seen, 
went, drew, brought, threw. 

Give exercises designed to correct punctuation. 

Instruct in the addressing of a letter. 

Study the following: 



THE COMING OF SPRING 

Oh the sunshine told the bluebird, 

And the bluebird told the brook, 
That the dandelions were peeping 

From the woodland's sheltered nook; 
So. the brook was blithe and happy. 

And it babbled all the way 
As it ran to tell the river 

Of the coming of the May. 

Then the river told the meadow. 

And the meadow told the bee, 
That the tender buds were swelling 

On the old horse-chestnut tree ; 
And the bee shook off its torpor 

And it spread each gauzy wing 
As it flew to tell the flowers 

Of the coming of the Spring. 



Use sentences to be filled in with singular and plural verbs. Ex- 
ample : 

The horse lame. 

The birds red. 

The leaves green. 

The tree tall. 

Follow same plan with has, have, and other simple verb forms. 

Drill on singular and plural possessives. 

Drill on plurals ending in s and es. 

Use sentences with blanks to be filled in with the pronouns I, he^ 
she, his, her, him. 

STORY 
"Old Pipes and the Dryads" (Young and Field, Book 4, page 87). 

POEM 
"Saved" (Landseer) . 



Third Grade 37 



LANGUAGE 



SEVENTH MONTH 

GENERAL EXERCISES 

General talks on the human body and how to care for it; food, 
wholesome and unwholesome; cleanliness, bathing, clothing in hot and 
cold weather; care of the teeth, causes of decay and how to prevent it; 
the lungs and breathing; the importance of pure air; ventilation of 
rooms. 

This work should be conversational. To the above may be added 
observation of the rising and setting of the sun. 

Lead the children to read and to love good books. Encourage 
reading at home. 

REPRODUCTIONS 

Oral and Written: 

"King Arthur's Knights" {Jones' Third Reader, page 146). 

"Arachne, or the Wonderful Weaver" (In Mythland, page 72, also 
in Baldwin's Old Greek Stories or Cook's Nature Myths). 

"Mina, the Holland Girl" (Little Folks of Many Lands, page 37). 

CONVERSATIONS 

1 — About courage, — true and false. 

2 — Talks about Manliness and Womanliness. 

3 — Talks about manners, — boys removing hats in buildings, when 
speaking to one on the street; always when speaking to a lady or 
gentleman. 

How to speak, (Not "Howdy", etc.) How to pass on the street, 
in halls or on stairways. Precedence in going up stairways. 

GIRLS: Loud laughter, loud talking, coarse and ugly language. 

WRITTEN WORK 

The chief aim of written work in the Third Grade should be the 
sentence, and the proper sequence of sentences. Sentences, in the 
beginning, should not be too long, but short and concise. 

Use who, when, which, where to join short sentences and form 
complex sentences. - 

CORRECT EXPRESSION 

(a) — -Keep on the board such expressions as follow, and have them 
used in oral and written work: come, came; wrote, written; run, ran; 
know, knew, known; took, taken; did, done. 



38 Outlines in English 



(b) — Special drills to prevent the use of "ain't got", "it is me", 
"Me and him." "Where is my book at?" "Where are you going to?" 

(c) — Give drills for use of singular and plural verbs. 

(d) — Drill on pronouns, I, you, he, we, she, us, they. 

GENERAL WORK 

(a) — Observation and practice in the use of addresses. 

(b) — Names of days, months and seasons, and abbreviations for 
same. 

(c) — ^Form of writing dates. 

(d) — Letter heading, body, and superscription. 

TECHNICAL 

(a) — Comma; in a series; heading. 

(b) — Plural in s and es. Plural of man, woman, lady, mouse, 
knife, child, sheep. 

(c) — Contractions: I'm; I'll; can't; isn't; won't; don't. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Diary: Have pupils keep a diary from the seventeenth of March 
until the thirty-first of March. Show them first how to do it, and then 
leave them upon their own resources. Do not permit lengthy or 
elaborate diaries. (Any other period may be used.) 

Have all or a number read on Friday of each week. 

THE CHILD'S WORLD 

Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful World, 
With the wonderful water round you curled. 
And the wonderful grass upon your breast — 
World, you are beautifully dressed. 

The wonderful air is over me, 
And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree; 
It walks on the water, and whirls the mills, 
And talks to itself on the tops of the hills. 

You friendly Earth! how far do you go, 

With the wheat fields that nod and the rivers that flow. 

With cities and gardens and hills and isles, 

And people upon you for thousands of miles? 



Ah! you are so great, and I am so small, 
I tremble to think of you, World, at all. 



—W. B. Rands. 



Third Grade 39 



GOOD MORNING 

The year's at the spring, 

And the day's at the mom; 
Morning's at seven; 

The hillside's dew-pearled; 
The lark's on the wing; 

The snail's on the thorn; 
God's in His heaven — 

All's right with the world! 

— Robert Browning. 

STORY 

"Somebody's Mother" (Jones, Book 3, page 223). 

PICTURE 

"Age of Innocence" (Reynolds). 



EIGHTH MONTH 

ORAL 

1 — Talk to the children about the spring flowers and the birds. 
Engage them in conversation. 

2 — Ask questions that will bring replies involving the use of the 
verbs: bloom, fly, flow, flovm, strike, swim, catch. 

3 — Have some simple games which will bring into use ordinarily 
used verbs and pronouns. 

WRITTEN WORK 

Have the children keep a diary for a few days. 

1 — Show how a letter is headed. (Review) 

2 — Explain the body and ending of a letter. (Review) 

3 — Show how to address the envelope. (Review) 

4 — Write questions on the board. Have children answer them 
orally and written. 

5 — Give list of five commonly misused verbs or pronouns and re- 
quire children to use them in sentences. 

6 — Have children study the paragraph from their readers and thus 
they will get a good idea of what a paragraph is. After such study 
have the children state orally OR WRITE THE SUBSTANCE OF THE 
PARAGRAPH. 

7 — Some simple Home Geography may furnish material for 

work. Such exercises as the following: I live in county. I 

live in the city of : . . The River runs north (west) of 

our city. The water in the Ohio River comes from The 

cities near our home are , , , and 

8 — Continue drill on the simple personal pronouns. 



40 Outlines in English 

TECHNICAL WORK 

1 — Keep drilling on punctuation. Give plain simple examples, of 
the use of the comma, semicolon, and period. 

2 — Drill on capitals. 

3 — Never let a day pass without some drill on diacritics. 

4 — Have drills on kinds of sentences. 

READ AND STUDY THE FOLLOWING LITTLE POEM: 

THE SECRET 

We have a secret, just we three, 
The robin, and I, and the sweet cherry tree; 
The bird told the tree, and the tree told me, 
And nobody knows it but just we three. 

But of course the robin knows it best, 
Because he built the — I shan't tell the rest; 
And laid four little — somethings in it — 
I'm afraid I shall tell it every minute. 

But if the tree and the robin don't peep, 
I'll try my best the secret to keep; 
Though I know when the little birds fly about, 
Then the whole secret will be out. 

STORY 

**The Miraculous Pitcher" (Williams' Literature, Book 4, page 66). 

PICTURE 

"The Helping Hand" (Reywuf) . 



NINTH MONTH 

ORAL 

1 — Encourage conversations on subjects appropriate to the season, 
such as flowers, showers, May-Day, Spring, June. 

2 — Have them tell a story of a game they have played. 

3 — Use the following and similar sentences for drill: 
Are you taller than I? 
No, I am not as tall as you. 
Are you taller than she? 
Yes, I am taller than she. 
Are you taller than he? 
Yes, I am taller than he. 
Are you taller than they? 
Are you older than we? 

Use similar drills for the singular and plural verbs. 



Third Grade 41 



WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Have the pupils write or tell a story from the following hints: 
A little boy lives in the city — goes to the country — plays on 

the grass — gathers berries — throws stones — is tired — lies down under 

a tree — sleeps — wakes — goes home. 

2 — Have the pupils name the trees they know and tell something 
about each. 

3 — Have the children avoid the use of stiff sentences by having 
them combine similar ones to the following: 

**A book is under the table." **I want that book." (Have them 
arrange in one sentence which reads, "I want the book which is under 
the table.") 

4 — Drill on punctuation by the use of conversation stories. 

Have pupils write brief letters to each other, and require replies. 
(Give suggestions as to material.) 

POEM 

A little word of kindness spoken, 

A motion, or a tear. 
Has often healed a heart that's broken, 

And made a friend sincere. 

A word, a look, has crushed to earth 

Full many a budding flower. 
Which, had a smile but owned its birth 

Would bless life's darkest hour. 

Then deem it not an idle thing, 

A pleasant word to speak; 
The face you wear, the thoughts you bring, 

A heart may heal or break. 

— C. D. Coleswo7'thy. 

STORY 

"The Little Hero of Harlem" {Brooks and Carroll, Book 2, page 
152). 

PICTURE 

"Tired Gleaners" (Morgan). 



42 Outlines in English 



FOURTH GRADE ENGLISH 



FIRST MONTH 

The ability to express ideas adequately in effective words is cer- 
tainly; of all the varied acquirements of human skill, of the first im- 
portance. To do this demands the mastery of the general rules and 
principles of the vernacular that have been evolved as the language 
has developed. The chief agency in securing such mastery is the school. 
Here teacher and pupil should co-operate in striving to make their 
vernacular their most effective tool. 

English work niust be intimately related to the life and spirit of 
the school as found in the exercises of the day. When the work of the 
various subjects is vitally presented the children have something to 
think about, their talk becomes free and spontaneous. If the child's 
mind is full it will easily overflow in speech. Dr. Hinsdale well says: 
"If the child has an abundance of ideas he is likely to express himself 
with clearness and force. If he has no ideas, or few, the plight of the 
children of Israel in making bricks without straw is pleasant in com- 
parison." 

ORAL WORK 

Have pupils tell original stories or retell stories they have heard 
or read. 

Many reading lessons may be reproduced orally. Frequent oppor- 
tunity should be given to the class to choose between the merits of two 
selections or stories and to decide upon the portion of a selection 
which is most pleasing to them. 

Let thought-giving be made a test of thought-getting. 

Establish correct habits of speech by imitation and by drill. 

Use the following words for a drill; 

Who, Whose, Whom 

This and that. 

We boys went, not **Us boys went" 

He gave it to us boys, not **we boys" 

Well and good. 

Rise and raise. 

He is larger than I, not ''than me", etc. 

For oral discussion use the following: 

(a) — The general use of the skull and jaw. 

(b) — The use of the spinal column. 

(c) — The collar bone, ribs, arms, legs, hands, feet. 

(d) — Joints. 



Fourth Grade 43 



Have pupils relate incidents of home life and school life. 
(Do not lose sight of the fact that the chief object of all the 
above is correct habit in oral English). 

WRITTEN WORK 

Practice on the use of the pronouns by filling out blanks: Who 

did that? It was Was it and ? It is 

Mary and 

Begin letter writing by reviewing the heading and salutation of 
a letter. Much attention should be given to letter writing in this 
grade. At least one letter should be written by each pupil each month. 
Criticise each error before the entire class always refraining from re- 
vealing the identity of the writer. Let your criticisms be sympathetic 
and wholesome, — NEVER HARSH. Compliment wherever at all 
possible. Refuse to accept any but the pupils' best work. BETTER 
RESULTS MAY BE SECURED IF, INSTEAD OF MARKING IN 
WRITTEN WORK THE MISSPELLED WORDS AND OTHER 
ERRORS, THE TEACHER WILL NOTE, AT THE HEAD OF EACH 
PAGE, THE NUMBER OF SUCH ERRORS, AND COMPEL THE 
PUPIL TO FIND AND CORRECT HIS MISTAKES. 

Give simple exercises in writing Declarative sentences and Inter- 
rogative sentences. 

Drill on comma, semicolon, period and interrogation point. 

Review use of period at end of sentences and after abbreviations, 
the apostrophe in the possessive singular, and the period and comma 
in dates. Teach use of the comma after O, in an address and before 
short direct quotations. Teach correct use of: in, into, mad, angry, 
well, good, feat, feet, creak, creek, leaf, lief, peace, piece, peal, peel, 
berry, bury. 

SEPTEMBER 

The golden-rod is yellow; 

The com is turning brown; 
The trees in apple orchards 

With fruit are bending down. 

The gentian's bluest fringes 

Are curling in the sun; 
In dusky pods the milkweed 

Its hidden silk has spun. 

There sedges flaunt their harvest 

In every meadow-nook; 
And asters by the brookside 

Make asters in the brook. 

From dewy lanes at morning 

The grapes' sweet odors rise; 
At noon the roads all flutter 
, With yellow butterflies. 

By all these lovely tokens 

September days are here, 
With Summer's best of weather. 

And Autumn's best of cheer. 

— Helen Hunt Jackson. 



44 Outlines in English 



SECOND MONTH 

In the work in English the great desideratum is the quickening of 
a "language conscience" in a class. We mean by this that a speech 
error is an ERROR, and that they should strive as hard to rid them- 
selves of that kind of an error as they would of an error of manners 
or a defect of any type. 

If a child never heard mistakes in speech he would probably 
speak fairly correctly, but since all children do hear a great deal of 
poor language and so acquire poor habits, teachers should do much 
positive work in the way of correction. This work must be done per- 
sistently and systematically. 

ORAL ENGLISH 

Continue short story telling. 

Discuss lessons in Reading and Geography. Insist upon accuracy 
at all times. Have drills on the following: do, did, done; see, saw, 
seen; lie, lay, lain. 

Drill also on the pronouns. 

WRITTEN WORK 

Have the pupils write four statements using each of the above 
words. 

Then require two questions using each of the above words. 

Have pupils write at least one letter during the month. 

Tell them something of Columbus and his discovery. Then have 
them tell you about it the next day and write about him- the .third day. 
Let the pupils read each other's compositions and criticise them. 

In criticising written work indicate the number of errors at the 
top of the page, and require pupils to find and correct them. 

DICTATION 

This is the most valuable exercise for spelling, punctuation, and 
language. Have it frequently. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

Continue drills on punctuation marks. 

Capitals: O, I, and proper nouns. 

Possessives: Singular and plural. 

Sentences: Declarative-, Interrogative, Imperative. 

Teach correct use of the following: ought, should, expect, suspect, 
like, as, one, won, beau, box, rye, wry, doe, dough, fowl, foul, pray, 
prey, kill, kiln. 

ABBREVIATIONS 

No., sq. ft., sq. yd., pk., bu., lb., bbl., a. m., p. m., m., Ky. 



Fourth Grade 45 



STORY 

Read: "Sleeping Beauty" to the class. This may be found in 
the Carroll and B7'ooks' Third Reader, or in any collection of Grimm's 
stories. 



THIRD MONTH 

1 — Tell some Thanksgiving stories. Help the pupils to get the 
true spirit of Thanksgiving. 

2 — Have the pupils reproduce some of the stories orally. 

3 — Have them write a letter about Thanksgiving. 

4 — Dictate some sentences to the pupils. 

5 — Have them change these statements into questions. 

6 — Drill on the forms of blow, draw, grow, know, throw, beat, 
break, fall, freeze, write, choose. 

7 — Continue drills on Capitals and Punctuation. 

8 — Write sentences with blanks to be filled with the words in 

No. 6. 

9 — Give a few^ drills on some simple singular possessives. 

10 — Have pupils select quotations from their readers, and show 
them how quotations are punctuated. 

11 — Use these words in sentences: 

hear by fur 

here buy fir 

sea right know 

see write now 

12 — Continue oral drills on the personal pronouns, introducing 
the objective form. 

Drill also on singular and plural verbs. 

WRITTEN WORK 

Have pupils write two or more of each of the different kinds of 
sentences. 

Drill on proper use of guess and think, stop and stay, have and 
got, tolled, told, aisle, I'll, isle, clause, claws. 

The contractions: isn't, wasn't, didn't, don't, doesn't. 

THANKSGIVING POEM 

Praise God for wheat, so white and sweet, of which we make our bread ! 
Praise God for yellow corn, with which His waiting world is fed! 
Praise God for fish and flesh and fowl, He gave to man for food ! 
Praise God for every creature He made, and called it good ! 

Praise God for Winter's store of ice! Praise God for Summer's heat! 
Praise God for fruit tree bearing seed; "To you it is for meat"! 
Praise God for all the bounty by which the world is fed! 
Praise God, His children all, to whom He gives their daily bread. 



46 Outlines in English . 



FOURTH MONTH 

1 — Tell Christmas stories. 

Let the real spirit of Christmas pervade your work, and thus 
you will stimulate endeavor. 

2 — Continue the reproduction of stories written and orally. 

3 — Possessives: Give a list of sentences which show ownership, 
without the sign of possession, as "This is the house of Mr. Black." 
Show how this ownership may be shown by the sign of possession. 

4 — Quotations: Give a series of sentences containing quotations. 
Have pupils note manner of marking the relation of the quota- 
tion to the remainder of the sentence. 

5 — Have them find quotations in their readers. 

6 — Drill on statements and questions. Have sentences changed 
from one to the other. 

7 — Have one letter written. 

8 — Abbreviations: Co., Supt., Rev., R. R. 

9 — Drill on use of comma and period. 

10 — Continue to drill on such expressions as "aren't", "isn't", "It 
is I", "It is he", "Is is she." 

POEM 

DECEMBER 

Oh! Holly branch and mistletoe. 

And Christmas chimes where'er we go. 

And stockings pinned up in a row! 
These are thy gifts, December! 

And if the year has made thee old. 
And silvered all thy locks of gold. 

Thy heart has never been a-cold 
Or known a fading ember. 

The whole world is a Christmas tree. 

And stars its many candles be; 
Oh! sing a carol joyfully, 

The year's great feast in keeping ! 

— Harriet F. Blodgett. 

ORAL 

Diiscussions of some other lesson, as geography. 

WRITTEN 

Have pupils keep a diary for several days. 

Review envelope addressing. Drill on formation of plurals, es- 
pecially of nouns ending in y. 

STORY 
Any good Christmas story. 



Fourth Grade 47 



FIFTH MONTH 

1 — Try to make sure that the pupils know the reasons for using 
quotation marks, capitals, and other punctuation marks. 

2 — Have pupils write in order the names of the days of the week 
and their abbreviations. 

3 — The use of the period in the abbreviation. 

4 — Some drills on the apostrophe. 

5 — Dictate some short exercises such as the following: 

Monday says, "I wash the clothes." 

Tuesday says, "I iron them." 

Wednesday says, **I bake the cakes." 

Thursday says, "I eat them." 

Friday says, "I am sweeping day." 

Saturday says, "The children love me." 

Sunday says, "I am the Sabbath day, there is no day above me." 

6 — Read a short story to the children. Discuss it with them. Ask 
them to tell it in their own way. Do not interrupt for each error in 
grammar or pronunciation. If errors are made ask about them at the 
next recitation. Do not discourage freedom of expression. 

7 — Do not hesitate to use the . word PARAGRAPH, but do not 
give the definition of it. Let the children become thoroughly familiar 
with the word and know how to tell one on the printed page. 

8 — Correlate as much as possible with the geography. 

9 — Have envelope addresses made. Distinguish between Christian 
and Surname. 

I know a place where the sun is like gold, 
And the cherry blossoms burst with snow 

And underneath is the loveliest nook 
Where the four-leaf clovers grow. 

One leaf is for hope and one is for faith 

And one is for love, you know. 
And God put another one in for luck. 

If you search you will find where they grow. 

But you must have hope and you must have faith, 

And must love and be strong, and so. 
If you work, if you wait, you will find 

The place where the four-leaf clovers grow. 

— Ella Higginson. 

ORAL 

Have the children repeat the substance of a letter or story they 
have read. 

Have repeated oral drills, on pronouns, verbs, and quotations. 



48 Outlines in English 



SIXTH MONTH 

Review previous work. In story-telling, insist upon the logical 
arrangement of the parts. Insist upon accuracy. Have dictation ex- 
ercises. Emphasize ORAL COMPOSITION, but DO NOT neglect 
WRITTEN WORK. 

By using questions or games, secure the correct use of go-went; 
come-came; see-saw; was-were; bring-brought ; catch-caught; grow- 
grew; steal-stole; run-ran. 

Teach the following abbreviations: Number-no., ans., ft., pt., 
st.j ave., 1st., 2nd., 3rd., 4th., 5th., etc., bu., co., R. R., E., W., 
S.*, N., a. m., p. m., Jr., Sr. 

Drill on the use of the period, apostrophe, and quotation marks. 

Show examples of a direct quotation, and drill on its punctuation 
when not constituting an entire sentence, e. g. *'Who is your teacher?" 
asked the father. 

Teach use of hyphen at the end of a broken word. Use of a capital 
at the beginning of the names of the days, months, names of persons 
and places. 

Teach the use of who, which, where, when, while, to combine two 
sentences into one. 

Drill on the following words and their homonyms: feat, creak, 
leaf, peace, peal, berry, one, beau, rye, doe. 

WRITTEN WORK 

Short descriptions of pictures, or plants and animals, taken from 
the Geography or nature work. 

A short letter. Drill on heading and closing. Insist upon neat 
orderly arrangement, correct spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, etc. 
There should be at least one written exercise per week. These should 
be carefully criticised by the teacher, and rewritten by the pupil. 

Bring in such idioms as the following and use them often: It is I. 
It is she. It is he. It is we. It is they. It was I. It was she. It was 
he. It was we. It was they. This may be done by using blanks, as: 

Who did that? It was Was and ? It is 

Mary and 

STORY WORK 

Tell stories, — short stories of Lincoln and Washington and have 
the children reproduce them orally, and about twice in the month ha^e 
them reproduce a short story in writing. 

Read the following poems to the children, talk about them and 
make the children feel the sentiment in them: 



Fourth Grade 49 



FOR THE GIRLS 

My fairest child, I have no song to give you, 

No lark could pipe to skies so dull and gray. 
Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you 

For every day: — 
Be good, sweet maid. 

And let who will be clever; 
Do noble things, not dream them, all day long; 

And so make life, death, and that vast forever, 
One grand, sweet song. 



FOR THE BOYS 

Dare to be right! Dare to be true! 
You have a work that no other can do ; 
Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well. 
Angels will hasten the story to tell. 

Dare to be right! Dare to be true! 

The failings of others can never save you. 

Stand by your conscience, your honor, your faith; 

Stand like a hero and battle till death. 



SEVENTH MONTH 



"Every teacjier of English must realize that training in English 
is dependent upon the whole life and atmosphere of the school; upon 
the fact that every exercise is an exercise in English; upon the 
teacher's personality; upon her sympathetic understanding of the chil- 
dren; upon the degree of her cultivation; upon the books she reads; 
upon her associations; upon the kind of English she uses; and upon her 
realization of the truth that imitation and habit are controlling factors 
in English teaching; and that every hour of school modifies the English 
of the pupils." 

ORAL AND WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Plants and their parts; development from seed; trees and 
shrubs; their uses to man. 

2 — General talks on the body and how to care for it. 

3 — Oral description of some picture in the room. An imaginative 
story suggested by the picture. 

STORY WORK 

1 — Discussion of stories told or read by the teacher, or read 
silently by the pupils. 



50 Outlines in English 



SUGGESTED STORIES: 

"Black Beauty" (McGuffey's Third Reader) 

"How Napoleon Crossed the Alps" {Blodgett's Book Three) 

"How Benny West Learned to be a Painter" (Stories of Great 
Americans) 

"How Audubon Came to Know Birds" (Stories of Great 
Americans) 

"The Author of Little Women" (Stories of Great Americans) 

WRITTEN WORK 

(a) — Copy prose and poetry from readers, with care in regard 
to capitals, punctuation marks, quotations, etc. 

(b) — Write questions about these objects: 

Your State Maine A fine harbor 

Cotton Marble Lumber 

Wheat Boots and shoes Coal 
Com 

(c) — Write statements about: 

Petroleum Pine lumber Tobacco 

Pennsylvania Granite The President 

Providence Green Mountains Washington 
Maple sugar 

(d) — Copy the following sentences and fill the blanks with words 
that answer the question when? 

1 — The violets bloom 

2 — I eat breakfast. 

3 — We have dinner 

4 — go to church. 

5 — I like to go to the woods 

6 — The farmer plants corn 

7 — The stars shine 

8 — the sun is in the west. 

9 — The owl sleeps 

10 — Birds build their nests 



COMPOSITION 

1 — A robin has been down South all the winter; he has returned 
to some place near your home, and he and his mate are looking for a 
place to build a nest. 

Write a story that the robin might tell if he could talk. 

Study poem: "What the Robin Told Me." (May be found 
on opposite page). 

2 — A tiny seed has been lying buried in the earth since last fall, 
when it fell from a withered plant which had flowered during the 
summer. The seed will now begin to sprout. 

Tell a story the seed might tell if it could talk. 



Fourth Grade 51 



3 — A Diary: Have the pupils keep a diary for a period of ten days, 
and leave them upon their own resources. Have a number of these 
read at the end of each five-day period. Have the pupils exchange 
papers and criticise, after which you will go over them for their errors. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

1 — Drill on singular and plural possessives. 

2 — Quotations. 

3 — Abbreviations: U. S., Ky., Mr., Mrs., Miss., P. O., N. A., 
Sr., Jr., etc., A. D., B. C. • 

4— ^Paragraphing : Group sentences around two or three sub- 
topics. Paragraph margin. 

5 — Correct forms: May, can, did, done, sit, set, spoke, spoken, 
good, well, grew, frown, between, among, mad, angry. 

LETTER WRITING 

(a) — The form of the letter, heading, address, closing, and super- 
scription. 

(b) — Simple invitation and reply. 

NOTE: Place a good form on the board and allow it to remain 
there for several days, during which time it may be discussed and 
comparisons made. 

SPRING HAS COME 

She brings the bright hours. 

She weaves the sweet flowers. 

Oh, the Spring — the beautiful Spring! 

She shineth and smileth on everything! 

— Bary Cornwall. 

WHAT THE ROBIN TOLD ME 

How do robins build their nest? 

Robin Redbreast told me. 
First a wisp of amber hay 
In a pretty round they lay: 
Then some shreds of downy floss. 
Feathers too, and bits of moss, 
Woven with a sweet, sweet song. 
This way, that way, and across: 

That's what robin told me. 

Where do robins hide their nests? 

Robin Redbreast told me. 
Up^ among the leaves so deep. 
Where the sunbeams rarely creep. 
Long before the winds are cold 
Bright-eyed stars will peep and see 
Baby robins, one, two, three : 

That's what robin told me. 

— George Cooper. 



52 Outlines in English 



EIGHTH MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Have the pupils tell stories. 

2 — Encourage free discussion of pictures that may be upon the 
walls or used as illustrations in the books. 

3 — Conversations about flowers, birds and other evidences of 
Spring. 

4 — Do not permit ungrammatical expressions to pass unnoticed. 

WRITTEN WORK ^ 

1 — Keep the written composition short. Hold the pupils re- 
sponsible for correct form, margin, indentation, spelling, punctuation, 
etc. 

2 — Have questions written by boys, copied and answered by girls, 
and vice-versa. These questions should be on different subjects, as, 
In what city do you live? In what county do you live? What is the 
largest city in Kentucky? Do you try to protect the birds? What is 
your favorite flower? Which way does the Ohio River run? 

3 — Use the following words in sentences: peace, piece; peal, 
peel; berry, bury; one, won; sole, soul; aisle, I'll, isle. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

1 — Drill on plurals in s and es and in case of nouns ending in y. 
2 — Keep up work on punctuation and diacritics. 
3 — Explain heading and body of a letter, also envelope address. 
4 — Paragraphing: explain from readers. 

5 — Quotations: Let them find quotations in their readers. Re- 
quire them to locate the quotation in unmarked sentences which you 
may place upon the board. 

6 — Some drills on questions and statement sentences would be 
well. 

7 — Teach something of the subject. 

Read and study the following poem: 

AT EASTER TIME 

Crocus buds their cups are lifting 
Where the snows just now were drifting, 
Snowdrop bells are gently swinging — 
Ears attuned might hear them ringing. 

With softest chime. 

At Easter time. 

Willow boughs their silver bringing, 
Tasseled alders gold-dust flinging 
May-flowers 'neath their dark leaves blooming. 
All the sunlit air perfuming, 

Glad tribute pay. 

On Easter day. 



Fourth Grade 53 



NINTH MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Encourage conversational work and story-telling. 

2 — Subjects from nature furnish abundant material for oral work. 

3 — Do not permit an ungrammatical expression to pass unnoticed. 

WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Continue work in written composition. 

2 — Make a little study of paragraph structure. 

3 — Have pupils keep a diary for a few days, then criticise the 
English. 

4 — Have written reproduction or oral stories. 

5 — Write questions on any subject on the board, then require 
written answers to them. 

6 — Require short letters showing parts and correct form. 

7 — Give short outline and require development into short simple 
story. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

1 — Some drill on the four sentence forms. 

2 — Discuss subject and predicate. 

3 — Drill on noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, — simply as classes of 
words, do not attempt parsing, — use only simplest cases of the four 
parts of speech. 

4 — Keep up work on diacritics. 

CLOVERS 

The clovers have no time to play; 
They feed the cows, and make the hay, 
They trim the lawns, and help the bees 
Until the sun sinks through the trees. 
And then they lay aside their cares, 
And fold their hands to say their prayers, 
And drop their tired little heads. 
And go to sleep in clover beds. 
Then when the day dawns bright and blue 
They wake and wash their hands in dew; 
And as the sun climbs in the sky, 
They hold them up and let them dry; 
And then to work the whole long day 
For clovers have no time to play. 

— Helena Leeming Jelliffee. 



54 • Outlines in English 



FIFTH GRADE ENGLISH 



FIRST MONTH 

In both written and oral exercises the chief thing with which we 
are concerned is the effective and adequate expression of thought. 
With this association once established, the task of developing both the 
thought process and the language process can be more intelligently 
pursued. In the early work of the child the advance in each of these 
processes will necessarily be made slowly. The thought of the little 
child is frequently unexpressed because he has not yet learned to 
handle the tools that adequately disclose his concepts. 

In this language process logic, of course, assumes that a thought 
cannot be clearly expressed unless it is clearly comprehended. Some- 
times the endeavor to express it will disclose the murky thinking that 
lies behind it, sometimes the trial will aid in finally making it clear. 

Teachers should accordingly keep in view two facts: (1) that 
clear thinking tends to secure clear writing and speaking; and (2) 
that the endeavor to express new and difficult thoughts helps toward 
clear thinking. This is but another way of advising teachers to select 
material for oral discussions and written composition which the pupil 
can handle, and which at the same time will encourage a healthy reach. 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Conversations on lessons in geography, physiology, and natural 
phenomena. 

2 — Descriptions of objects and places with which the pupils are 
familiar. 

3 — Questions on the thought and sentiment of the reading lessons. 

4 — Exercises on the meaning of words. 

5 — Give pupils a chance to choose between the merits of two 
selections and have reasons given for choice. (Let discussion be free 
and easy. Let criticisms be sympathetic and always kindly given.) 

6 — Exercises giving practice to forms likely to be misused. Use 
the following list for special drill: either, or, neither, nor; He is the 
taller of the two, not "tallest"; under, over, in, into, on, beyond, above, 
beneath, different from, not "different than." 

WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Changing poetry into prose, using pupil's own language. 

2— Common abbreviations. 

3 — The titles of books. 

4 — Writing of short descriptions, of objects, pictures, or persons. 



Fifth Grade 55 



5 — Writing of short friendly letters. (At least one complete from 
each pupil each month.) 

6 — Letter of invitation to a birthday party, and reply. 

7 — Sentences showing proper use of these words: close, clothes, 
cloths, right, write, to, too, two. 

8 — Complete the story: Suddenly he heard a rustle and saw the 
bush in front of him move. 

TO THE TEACHER: 

In criticising the written composition and letters it will be found 
much more helpful if the teacher, instead of marking misspelled 
words and other errors, simply indicates at the top of each page the 
NUMBER of errors, and require the child to find and correct them. 
This will both interest and help the child. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

1 — Simple subjects and predicates. 
2 — Vowels and consonants. 
3 — Capitals and punctuation marks. 
4 — Diacritics. 

THE LIGHT OF THE STARS 

The night is come, but not too soon; 

And sinking silently. 
All silently, the little moon 

Drops down behind the sky. 

There is no light in earth or heaven 
But the cold light of the stars; 

And the first watch of the night is given 
To the red planet Mars. 

Is it the tender star of love? 

The star of love and dreams? 
Oh no! from that blue tent above 

A hero's armor gleams. 

And earnest thoughts within me rise, 

And when I behold afar. 
Suspended in the evening skies. 

The shield of that red star. 

Read or tell the story of "The Great Stone Face." 



SECOND MONTH 

ORAL 

1 — Conversations about the month of October. The color of the 
leaves. The storing of food by animals. The withering of vegetation. 

2 — Oral descriptions of incidents from home-life and school-life. 



56 Outlines in English 



3 — Directions for playing certain games, or performing certain 
simple duties. 

4 — Discussion of matter of local geography. 

5 — Drill on correct forms for such common expressions as: I seen. 
I done, aint, youse, done gone, have saw, had went, him and me. 

WRITTEN WORK 
1 — Dictation exercises once a week. 

2 — One or two short letters for the month. Attention to margin 
and other details. 

3 — Tell pupils story of Columbus and have them repeat it in parts. 
Have a written reproduction of it later. 

4- — Have pupils write statements containing the words lie, lay, 
lain, laid, sit, sat, set, blow, blew, know, knew, chose, choosen, choose, 
write, wrote, written. 

5 — Write Interrogative and Imperative sentences. 

TECHNICAL WORK 
1 — Analyze simple sentences. 

2 — Teach Subject, Predicate, Copula, Adjective element. 
3 — Drill on Capitals and Punctuation. 
4 — Drill on nouns, verbs, adjectives. 

STORY 

"The Princess' Pearls" (Blodgett's Reader, Book 4, page 1) or 
any other good, story. 

POEM 

I shot an arrow into the air, 
It fell to the earth, I know not where; 
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight 
Could not follow it in its flight. 

I breathed a song into the air. 
It fell to the earth, I knew not where; 
For who has sight so keen and strong, 
That it can follow the flight of song? 

Long, long afterward, in an oak 
I found the arrow, still unbroke; 
And the song, from beginning to end, 
I found again in the heart of a friend. 

— Henry W. Longfellotv. 



THIRD MONTH 

1 — Tell something of the history of Thanksgiving. 

2 — Tell some Thanksgiving stories. (Have them retold) 

3 — Help the pupils get the true Thanksgiving spirit. 

4 — Have the pupils tell or write how they expect to spend the 
Thanksgiving holiday. 



Fifth Grade 57 



5 — Have one letter written. 

6 — Have pupils write sentences from dictation. Then require them 
to convert the statements into questions and vice versa. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

1 — The Declarative and Interrogative sentence. Let them see the 
difference. 

2 — Keep up the work on subjects and predicates. 

3 — Frequent drills on diacritics. 

4 — Capitals: — I, 0, First word in a sentence. 

5 — Review forms for nominative after "to be"; correct use of 
personal pronouns. Relative pronouns. 

POEM 

If you get simple beauty and naught else 
You get the best thing God invents. 
And you will find the soul that you have missed 
Within yourself when you return Him thanks. 



FOURTH MONTH 

1 — Let the spirit of the Christmas season enter into your 
language to stimulate the pupils to greater endeavor. 

2 — Tell Christmas stories and have them retold. 

3 — Continue drills on punctuation, quotation marks, and capitals. 

4 — Review singular and plural possessives. 

5 — Drill on plural forms. 

6 — Review work on subject, predicate, and IS, ARE and WAS 
as copulas. 

7 — Have at least one letter written during the month. 

8 — Drill on the following: It is she; It is I; It is he; It is we; 
It is they; It was I. 

9 — Never let an opportunity pass to correct an improper form. 
10 — Have pupils write answers in full to questions which you may 
write on the board. Example: What is your favorite game? Write 
five questions. 

POEMS 

I heard the bells on Christmas Day 

Their old familiar carols play, 

And mild and sweet 

The words repeat 

Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 

— Henry Wadsworth Longfelloiu. 

Heap on more wood! The wind is chill! 

But let it whistle as it will, 

We'll keep our Christmas merry still. 

—Sir Walter Scott. 



58 Outlines in English 



FIFTH MONTH 

"First, then, look well to your speech. We speak a hundred times 
to every time we write. Consequently through speech it is usually 
decided whether a man is to have command of his language or not. If 
he is slovenly in ninety-nine cases of his speaking he can seldom pull 
himself together sufficiently to write accurately. 

"A recognition of the beauty of well ordered words, a strong 
desire, patience under discouragements, and promptness in counting 
every occasion as of consequence, — these are the simple agencies that 
sweep one on to power. Watch, then, your speech." 

WRITTEN WORK 

There should be a short written exercise in composition once each 
week. The teacher should use extreme care in selecting material and 
in no case should the pupils attempt any form beyond narration and 
description. 

Instruct the pupils as to margin, paragraphing, quotations, and 
punctuation. These compositions should be carefully criticised, and 
returned to the pupils who should then be required to re-write. 

The following order should be observed in narration, viz.: 
1. Where; 2. When; 3. Who (Give at least a brief description of 
main characters) ; 4. What happened; 5. An appropriate ending. 

About once a week in class ask the pupils to write quickly a few 
sentences about some subject with which they are familiar. 

The correction of the errors made by the class will afford a class 
exercise. 

Have drills on direct and indirect quotations. 

Continue the analysis of short simple sentences, especially on the 
subject, predicate, and adjective elements. 

Drill on the form of a LETTER. Have one letter written during 
the month. 

PLURALS 

Give ordinary rules. Drill on the plurals of hero, potato, negro, 
man, woman, mouse, wife. 

VERBS 

Give sentences containing blanks to be filled in by sit, set; lie, 
lay; drink, drank; go, went; come, came. 

pronouns 

Devise some game or plan by which you may drill children on the 
use of such expressions as, "It is I"; "It is he"; "It is she." 

Give exercises on the correct use of THEM and THOSE. 

Drills on pronouns may be given by use of blanks in sentences, as, 

"Please let James and have a holiday." "They as well as 

were invited." 



Fifth Grade 59 



Tell the pupils something of the life of James Whitcomb Riley. 
The following poem may be read, discussed, and explained to the class, 
or used in any way except memorized as a whole. 

A SONG 

There is ever a song somewhere, my dear, 

There is ever a something sings alway; 
There's the song of the lark when the skies are clear, 

And the song of the thrush when the skies are grey. 
The sunshine showers across the grain. 

And the blue bird trills in the orchard tree; 
And in and out, when the eaves drip rain. 

The swallows are twittering carelessly. 

There is ever a song somewhere, my dear, 

Be the skies above dark or fair. 
There is ever a song that our hearts may hear — 

There is ever a song somewhere, my dear — 
There is ever a song somewhere ! 

There is ever a song somewhere, my dear. 

In the midnight black or the midday blue; 
The robin pipes when the sun is here. 

And the cricket chirrups the whole night through; 
The buds may blow and the fruit may grow. 

And the Autumn .leaves drop crisp and sere ; 
But whether the sun or the rain or the snow. 

There is ever a song somewhere, my dear. 



SIXTH MONTH 

ORAL WORK 
1 — Conversation about Lincoln: His life, his works, his character. 
2 — Read the Gettysburg speech. 
3 — In conversation work let the pupils do most of the talking. 

WRITTEN WORK 
Drill on singular and plural possessives. 

VERBS 

Have blanks in sentences filled with correct forms of the following: 
take; took; taken; teach; taught; rise; rose; raise; bring; eat; eaten. 

NOUNS 
1 — Common and proper. 

2 — Write sentences containing nouns. Fill blanks with nouns. 
3 — Answer questions by the use of nouns. 



60 Outlines in English 



PRONOUNS 
1 — Use of I, He, She, We, when following a singular verb. 

ADJECTIVES 
Used to describe. Illustrate by descriptive words to fill blanks. 

PUNCTUATION 

Drill on all forms of punctuation, especially comma, semicolon, 
period and question mark. 

GENERAL 

Talk about George Washington and make a language lesson of 
this talk. 

Tell the pupils several things George Washington did, and a day 
or two after this have them write sentences relating some of these 
deeds. 

Continue drill on the analysis of simple sentences. 

There should be one letter written during the month. 

The following poem may be studied: 

"Let me be a little kinder, 
Let me be a little blinder, 
, To the faults of those about me. 

Let me praise a little more; 
Let me be when I am weary 
Just a little bit more cheery. 
Let me serve a little better 
Those that I am striving for." 

"Let me be a little braver 
When temptation bids me waver, 
Let me strive a little harder 
To be all that I should be; 
Let me be a little meeker 
With the brother who is weaker. 
Let me think more of my neighbor 
And a little less of me." 



SEVENTH MONTH 

"It is the constant use and practice under never failing watch and 
correction that makes good writers and speakers." 

WRITTEN WORK 

Continue to have at least one written composition per week. 
Attention should be carefully given to paragraphing, margins, 
indentations, quotations, etc. Use great care in the selection of 



Fifth Grade 61 



material. After correction the compositions should be returned to the 
pupils who should be required to rewrite them. 

A good exercise may be had by copying extracts slowly read by 
the teacher and then comparing them with the book. 

(a) — For narrations use incidents in the experience of the pupils, 
of friends and schoolmates. 

(b) — For descriptions use objects, places, pictures, buildings, etc. 

(c) — Change one or two simple verses of poetry into prose. 

(d) — After one Geography lesson per week require the pupils to 
write quickly a few sentences about some topic discussed in that lesson. 
The correction of these by the class will afford a profitable language 
lesson. 

(e) — Give some definite instruction about outlining, using simple 
illustrations. 

(f) — ^Write sentences containing the pronouns I, you, they, we, 
us, etc., following the verbs "is" or "are." 

(g) — Common abbreviations: Mr., Mrs., Dr., Rev., M. D., Esq., 
Col., Capt., Gen., Cr., Co., Amt., U. S., A. M., P. M., the names of 
the months. 

(h) — Give sentences with blanks to be filled in with the following 
verbs in present and past forms: throw, catch, fly, break, flow, see, 
bring, run, may, get, "love, like, drew. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

(a) — Drill daily on all ordinary punctuation marks. 

(b) — Review singular and plural possessives of common nouns. 

(c) — Practice on quotation marks. 

(d) — Use of- the Apostrophe. 

(e) — The sentence. 

(a) — The idea of the sentence. 

(b) — The idea of subject and predicate. 

(c) — The idea of a complete and simple predicate. 

ORAL WORK 

(a) — Reproduction of stories (Many may be taken from your 
supplementary readers and history readers.) 

(b) — Recitations of memory gems and short poems. 

(c) — Conversations about Geography, History, Biography and 
Nature. 

(d) — Discussions of the reading lessons. 

1 — Questions on the thought and sentiment. 
2 — Exercises on the meaning of words. 
3 — Attention to figurative language. 
4 — Discussion of historical reference. 



62 Outlines in English 



LETTER writing 

(a) — The form — Heading, address, close, superscription. 

(b) — Address on envelope. 

(c) — Kinds of letters — Different forms of salutation in the same. 

THE WIND OF MARCH 

Up from the sea, the wild north wind is blowing 

Under the sky's gray arch; 
Smiling, I watch the shaken elm boughs, knowing 

It is the wind of March. 

This roar of storm, this sky* so gray and lowering 

Invite the airs of Spring, 
A warmer sunshine over fields of flowering. 

The blue-bird's song and wing. 

Closely behind, the Gulf's warm breezes follow 

This northern hurricane, 
And, borne thereon, the bobolink and swallow 

Shall visit us again. 

MARCH 

The stormy March has come at last. 

With wind, and cloud, and changing skies; 

I hear the rushing of the blast 

That through the snowy valley flies. 

Ah, passing few are they who speak, 

Wild, stormy month ! in praise of thee ; 
Yet, though thy winds are loud and bleak. 

Thou art a welcome month to me. 

Thou bring'st the hope of those calm skies, 

And that soft time of sunny showers. 
When the wide bloom, on earth that lies. 

Seems of a brighter world than ours. 



EIGHTH MONTH 

ORAL 

1 — Reproduction of stories read by pupils or told by teacher. 
( Supplementary Readers. ) 

2 — Short memory gems. 

3 — Oral conversations about manners, polite speech, courtesy on 
the street, etc. 

4 — Conversations on your work in Geography, Biography, and 
Nature work. 



Fifth Grade 63 



5 — Oral discussions on the thought in the reading lessons. 

6 — Talk over the questions of drainage and the reasons the Ohio 
River sometimes overflows its banks. 

WRITTEN 

There should be at least one written composition per week. 

After one Geography lesson per week require each pupil to write 
just a few sentences on some topic discussed in that lesson. 

Write one letter ordering goods of some kind. Have ~ the boys 
write such a letter, collect and pass them to the girls who should be 
required to answer same on the next day.' 

Ask the girls to write an imaginary conversation between two 
dolls. Ask the boys to write an imaginary conversation between a dog 
and a cat. 

Have the pupils keep a diary for a week or ten days. Then have 
some of them read and corrected. 

TECHNICAL WORK 

Pronoun: Review carefully the nominative forms after the verb 
TO BE. 

Emphasize the use of BETWEEN YOU AND ME. THEM and 
THOSE. 

Require pupils to fill blanks in sentences using correct form of 
sit, set, lie, lay, teach, taught, rise, raise, etc. 

Give frequent drills on forms to avoid the use of the double 
negative. 

SPECIAL SUGGESTIONS 

Every lesson should be a language lesson. 

Always work on capitals, punctuation marks, diacritics, and para- 
graphing. 

SPEAK NO EVIL 

Speak no evil, and cause no ache; 
Utter no jest that can pain awake; 
Guard your actions and bridle your tongue, 
Words are adders when hearts are stung! 

Help whoever, whenever you can; 

Man forever needs aid from man. 

Let never a day die in the west 

That you have not comforted some sad breast. 



64 Outlines in English 



NINTH MONTH 

ORAL WORK 

1 — Tell the story of some poem you have read in the reading- 
exercise. 

2 — Have short stories retold. 

3 — A short oral debate on some simple subject is not impossible. 
Give the subject the day before, and discuss it from both points of 
view, then let all who will take sides with the respective leaders. 

• WRITTEN WORK 

1 — Write a letter thanking one for some help or favor. 

2 — Have the girls write a letter asking for a position, or informa- 
tion relative to same. Then have the boys answer these letters. 

3 — A written composition from an outline which you furnish. 

4 — Have pupils write a brief description of some person known 
to all of them. Criticise these carefully and have them re-written for 
all technical errors. 

5 — Teach the difference between narration and description. 

TECHNICAL 

1 — Pupils should begin to distinguish nouns, pronouns,, verbs 
adjectives by now. 

2 — Drill on bring, brought; eat, ate; eaten; beat; swing, swung; 
swim, swam. 

3 — Continue the use of the dictionary, drills on capitals, punctua- 
tion, quotation marks, diacritics, and especially syllabication. 

4 — Drill on the different kinds of sentences, with respect to use. 

5 — The object of the verb may be taught at this time. 



Sixth Grade 



0$ 



SIXTH GRADE ENGLISH 



OUTLINE 

1 The sentence. 

2_The subject, predicate and copula. 
3 — The para^aph. 
4_-The noun, verb, and pronoun. 
• 5 Letter writing. 

6— Sentences with respect to form. 

7__Sentences with respect to use. 

8__The properties of the noun. 

9— The properties of the pronoun. 

10 The formation of plurals. 

11— The adjective. 
12 — Parsing. 

13 — Analysis. 

14 — Diagramming. ^„rr^\^^^T 

teacher should be re-written by the pupils. 



66 . Outlines in English 



OUTLINES IN GRAMMAR AND ENGLISH 
FOR SEVENTH GRADE 



I — The Noun. 

(a) — Its properties, 
(b) — Rules for plurals, 
(c) — Rules for cases. 

II— The Adjective. 

(a) — Comparison, 
(b)— The Article. 

Ill— The Pronoun. 

(a) — Properties, 
(b ) — Declensions. 

IV— The Verb. 

(a) — Kinds with respect to use. 

(b) — Kinds with respect to form.. 

(c) — Other elementary facts about the verb. 

V — Parsing and diagramming. 

VI — Letter-writing. 

VII — Short compositions, 

VIII— Short floor talks. 

IX — Require some memory work. 



Eighth Grade 67 



COURSE IN GRAMMAR FOR 
EIGHTH GRADE 



1 — The Verb: Its forms in full; Mode (all forms); Conjugation 
in full. 

2 — The Adverb: Its various classes. (In the case of the Verb 
and the Adverb, do not stress mere memorizing of definitions, but have 
pupils arrive at a complete understanding of them by numerous applica- 
tions and examples.) 

3 — The Preposition: A brief treatment is sufficient. 

4 — Conjunctions: All classes of connectives should be handled 
here. 

5 — Classifications and Analysis of Sentences: It is not necessary 
to use all of the material in the text. It will be better to use fresh 
material taken from the books, Geographies, Histories, Readers, Con- 
versation and even the pupils' own written work, to illustrate definitions. 
A limited amount of diagramming should be done, just enough to 
enable the pupil to picture the various relationships of the parts of a 
sentence better than he perhaps would do by mere analysis. 

6 — Classification of phrases. 

7 — Classification of clauses. 

8 — The rules of syntax. (Not over one week should be given to 
this, but these groups of rules should be used for reference continually.) 

9 — Rules, for punctuation and capitalization. (This chapter should 
also be used for reference.) 

10 — Development of the paragraph. 

11 — Follow up this development and carry it' out in the short, 
siniple description, and narration. 

12 — Write simple business letter and a few social notes, letters of 
thanks, etc. 

13 — Note book work. Contents: 

(a) — A table of contents, 
(b) — Themes on historical subjects, 
(c) — Short themes on Civics or Community questions, 
(d) — If trips can be made to places of interest, exposi- 
tory themes may be written on same. 

(e) — Biographical themes. 



68 Outlines in English 



COURSE OF STUDY IN LITERATURE 
FOR EIGHTH GRADE 



In the study of literature for the year please observe the following: 

1 — Have the pupils learn the simple story. 

2 — Have plot outlined. 

S^Learn and give orally sketches of characters in the play or story. 

4 — There should be considerable time given to floor talks and debates. 
Subjects may be assigned two or three days in advance. 

In the floor talks do not allow the pupils to fall into the habit of 
committing to memory a little newspaper item or a paragraph from 
some reference book and reciting it as a floor talk. Let there be some 
of the pupil's own language and thought in his floor talks. 

SUGGESTED TOPICS 
DEBATE: 

Resolved: That the execution of John Brown was justifiable. 
Resolved: That children sixteen should not be allowed to 
work in shops, mines, or factories, etc. 

FLOOR TALKS: 

Why the Reds Lost (or Won). 

Do We Need New Streets? 

Do We Need a New High School? 

Is Football a Dangerous Game? 

Should Girls Study Domestic Science? 

The following lists contain books and stories suitable for the Seventh 
and Eighth Grades. 

SEVENTH GRADE 

Treasure Island. Evangeline. 

Sketch Book. Tales of a Wayside Inn. 

Two Years Before the Mast Last of the Mohicans (Cooper). 

(Dana). The Pilot (Cooper). 

Christmas Carol (Dickens). The Gold Bug (Poe). 

Little Men. The Great Stone Face. 

Little Women. The Snow Image. 

Heroes of the Middle West. The Vision of Mirza. 

EIGHTH GRADE 

Just So Stories. A Man Without a Country. 

Pilgrims Progress. Hans Brinker. 

Robin Hood- Rebecca of Sunny-Brook Farm. 

Captains Courageous. Tom Sawyer. 

Prince and the Pauper. Uncle Remus. 

Iliad (Translation for boys and Tanglewood Tales. 

girls). King Arthur and His Knights. 
Odyssey (Translation for boys and Hero Stories from American His- 

girls). tory. 

Norse Stories. When Patty Went to College. 

Just Patty, Anne of Green Gables. 
Kidnapped. 



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